Meet: The Appalachian Trail

This post is coming at ya with a little Appalachian Trail action. To clarify, these 600 words only cover about 40 miles of the 2,168.1 total.

If only this post was happening because work magically said it was okay to take 6 months off and go do some thru hike soul-searching. After doing the math I would have to work at my job for about 60 years before coming anywhere close to that kind of PTO.

While what we saw doesn’t come close to the amazing adventure of the entire length, the small section between Erwin TN, and Asheville NC is nothing short of the true wilderness experience that you imagine out on the AT.

The plan was to hike out and back from the Erwin TN on point. I had high hopes for my “last meal” aka the last consumed substances that weren’t prepackaged and heated in freezing temperatures. My dreams of egg whites and spinach frittatas were quickly crushed when we realized the only gourmet breakfast options in Erwin consisted of a McGriddle and dollar coffee; at least there was a bathroom! I felt like we were putting a little too much trust in good old McDs’ to power through two full days of covering ground, but it would have to do. If I am being honest my exercise addicted self was definitely most excited to spend my 9 to 5 trekking up and down the winding mountain hills.

This arctic looking scene was an on and off occurrence as the sun was constantly hidden and exposed by the thick impenetrable clouds. For a stretch the trail would be a crunchy icicle and then a spring time scene with soggy leaves all padding the ground.

There were a lot of things that made me nervous about this little adventure. Factors such as the fact that it was the dead of winter, sleeping exposed on a wood platform in the middle of no where, water and lack thereof, back woods bathroom situations, etc. While we were busy worrying about those things, we also were busy under estimating the physical challenge of hiking these altitudes.

After looking back at the trail guide we found out one of the peaks mid-way out on our route was only the second tallest on the entire trail. It was one of those hills you knew had to be winning that contest. The kind that makes a relatively in shape person  question any physical fitness they thought they had going into it.

On the steepest climbs towards the end of the days we started doing that dazed and confused thing, where you straighten up limp armed and wonder if this is the end. Okay, maybe not the end but you definitely consider if getting air lifted home is an option.

It really explained the ability of true hikers and the level of endurance it takes to manage that degree of activity on a scale 100 times larger than our dinky day hikes.

Above is the Bald Head summit at about 5,600 ft. elevation, our second tallest climb of the trip. At this point you would be feeling pretty cold, like hands turning purple cold, but you would also start considering how amazingly gorgeous this world is. It was hard to believe that we were “only in Tennessee” seeing the kind of mountains you see in Outside Magazine.

Despite the fact that our legs were a special kind of sore, this taste of the trail was enough to catch the itch to do more. We survived the elements, filtered the water, and scared away night-time scavengers. Something about following that narrow path, where every section is something being seen for the first time, makes you want to do it everywhere you go. You feel like you are seeing sites worth seeing. There isn’t a price of admission, lines, parking meters, or herds of people. It was the perfect chance to get out there and do something new, as well as insanely challenging. While I never would have pictured myself atop a mountain ringing in the new year in the pitch black of the wilderness zipped up mummy style nose frozen in a sleeping bag, it was one of the absolute most romantic best ways to celebrate the beginning of 2015.

…And next time an Asheville debrief…

-RV

Been Gone for a While

Hi! So clearly long time no post over here at HL. That’s because I have been working on a new project. My very own Etsy shop! It’s a little sparse and probably will be until we get more items together, but still it has been the perfect change of pace with this new non college life. Making things as opposed to writing around them I mean. But the best part is the shop has its very own blog. Read if you want on the thoughts and efforts behind store products and see if the little store grows into something worth reading about.

I’m looking at it as something creative to balance out the sterile cubicle life that is my 22 year old world.

More to come
-RV

Life Beyond the Squat

I am totally at a crossroads here. I love squats. I love them so much that I find myself looking for any excuse to substitute a squat into whatever I’m doing. Jumping jacks? Perfect opportunity for a baby pulse squat in between. Sprints? Definitely tacking on 10 speed squats at every turn around. Brushing my teeth? Prime time for some quick pre bedtime squats. Driving?…ha just kidding!

But you know what I don’t like? The world acting like squats are the end all be all for women in their workouts.

Basically it’s all just getting a little excessive and I am pretty sure I’m not the only one wrapped up in the quest for the perfect backside curve, or perfect squat form. This was evident by the line of 10 girls eagerly squatting into the mirror at the gym yesterday willing the perfect booty to magically show. When did squats go from being a staple total body move to a cultish world of big booty gals breaking laws of physics through hugely toned behinds while thousands of instagramers double tap in awe?

It all reminds me of those hilarious/utterly disturbing pictures of guys skipping leg days and obviously working every muscle group besides legs 364 days a year. Makes ya do a double take in the worst way. Your workout routine is all about balance yet all I hear as a female on social media and in the gym is that squatting will solve all of my problems. It’s like the kale and avocado craze consuming health buffs around the world. Squatting has always been there yet now people think they should be doing it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Suddenly you are a fitness super star if 95% of your workout is spent squatting.

On the other hand it is an inarguable FACT that squatting is one of the most, if not THE most, functional body weight exercises around. Working over 200 muscles in the body there is no doubt this move is something everyone needs to practice. They burn tons of calories per rep, allow you to survive beach season, and most importantly cultivate a killer foundation of strength for active movements.

Luckily for anyone feeling consumed by squat madness there are numerous alternatives. Been squatting life away for the past year? Change it up try an upper body routine. Make squatting just a portion instead of the entire workout.

Check out my original post here from some awesome alternatives from Share it FItness

Hair Health Month

I hear about them all the time, national cookie month, watermelon awareness week, and my recent favorite national tequila day. Normally I don’t plan in advance enough to celebrate and end up both repulsed and impressed by how committed others are to these spontaneous days of celebration. At any given point during any given month people have created a reason to do something ‘of the moment’ and I am sick of missing out!

Since I can’t seem to figure out where all of these awesome awareness months and days are laid out I have had to resort to making up my own special-ness. So this month is hair health month.

Why hair health? Because I got straight up hacked at the salon last week.

Not because I use some awesome hair product to take sweet pictures of.

The theme of the month is usually dictated by last months misfortune. For example…July…mail rent ON TIME month…June…remove excessive use of participles from the resume month.

Anyways…it is the age-old story. Same salon, but the regular stylist is booked. It was crunch time and I was starting to look like Cousin Itt which led me to a new stylist who had dreads. *Dreads are perfectly fine I just needed an identifier without using names* I am not a high maintenance hair gal seriously I promise! I go about once a year when people start telling me my ends look crunchy. Yep crunchy, like a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Until then, it gets to do what it wants with only a brushing when I can find my brush on occasion, so basically it would take a lot to mess this up.

I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty when Dreads asked if she could use a razor to “try something new”, and then brushed it like we were grating tree stumps for a log cabin. By then my scalp was numb so I like to think I didn’t just let it happen. Dreads was the nicest person you could ever hope to meet, so nice that I didn’t even notice the hacking going on right over my shoulder. We got along so well I thought we might be BFFs after learning we live in the same area. As she started to blow dry, Dreads brushed so hard she had me looking like a dog going 75 mph down the highway, this wasn’t something besties did to each other.

After watching chunks of hair all square and oblong dust the floor, I knew it was only a matter of time before someone got a good look at the new cut.  I ran to the car to get a better look and sure enough..splintered, choppy, shredded, split, numb scalp… Dreads got me good.

First response was panick, second response was to cut it off and start over which brought back traumatic memories of third grade picture day; so instead I decided to make it my own little PSA and hair health month was born.

I don’t do complicated so here are a few of the essentials….

Biotin seems like the obvious first choice with restorative effects, b vitamins, and enzymes that interact with hair and nail production. I started doing a little research and later decided that a comprehensive multivitamin seemed like a better route. After popping the magic hair pills like Skittles I learned that I was definitely overdosing on Biotin, and probably doing more harm than good. If it sounds like a miracle pill DO YOUR RESEARCH, you will probably find that it’s not so miraculous after all.

Coconut Oil (bet ya didn’t see that coming): it is the end all be all miracle substance…for anything ever…but you already knew that.

Turmeric: reduces inflammation, naturally soothes pain, and is an overall super hero supplement. This was helpful to calm my angry scalp and so enjoyable to pronounce.

Hopefully your hair can have a happier month than mine is right now!

-RV

The Skinny Confidential’s Lauryn Evarts on Healthy Basics

If you haven’t heard of the Skinny Confidential until now…you’re welcome. Chances are though you already have because Skinny Conf. founder, health & fitness guru, and author Lauryn Evarts is quite literally taking over. Seriously if I ever need to see something sickeningly adorable she’s my girl. As if her gorgeous self wasn’t inspiration enough, she makes the idea of eating blended vegetables actually sound like fun on the daily. **I’m talkin inspiration down to the lemons in the teal bowl. See below.**

She is known to give a very real opinion on health and how to actually make it a lifestyle, as opposed to just posting glamour shots of fitness crazies covered in sweat. Lauryn’s brand, The Skinny Confidential, is such a fresh take on the drab info we keep hearing on the same old subjects and with the recent publishing of her first book, it’s safe to say this girl knows her stuff. None of that Dr. OZ mumbo-jumbo here. Read more for the essentials to making your health not only a priority, but a lifestyle. Because we all want success in health, love, and life. Thanks for your feedback Lauryn!

What’s your foundation whether in business, fitness, or general health?

My foundation is balance. Balance is what keeps me sane and motivated. I also utilize The Skinny Confidential as a place to connect with my readers, and hear what they want to know.

The most important quality you value in yourself from when it all started to today?

The most important quality I value in myself today is self-discipline. I feel like with discipline comes opportunity.

Worst thing someone can do for their health?

Smoke, not wear sun screen and/or eat chemical filled food….eww to all of these.

Your take on being sick/injured and working out?

I think you should tailor your workout to the ailment that you have. If you broke your arm, then do squats. If you injured your knee, use arm weights.

Your quickest easiest get fit advice ever?

Eat clean. Work out. And practice wellness. Wellness is eating your vitamins. Getting enough sleep. Taking care of yourself and fueling your body with the right nutrients. Be nice to yourself.

Your take on juice cleanses? How long should they be? How effective?

Juice cleanses should last in my opinion three days. Juice cleanses are very effective when done correctly, and ineffective if misused. If you’re interested in a juice cleanse email me at Lauryn@TheSkinnyConfidential.com.

What are some of the most common inhibitors you see when people struggle to formulate a health/beauty/fitness plan?

I always see people bite off more than they can chew. I think it’s really important again to stay balanced. I also see people who don’t sleep enough. Sleep is so important.

Best advice ever received in terms of personal health or in general?

The best advice that I’ve received is to be the best version of yourself. I think it’s really important to try your hardest in every aspect in your life.

Where do you see health and fitness going in the next 10 years?

I think a lot of people will mix it up daily and that gyms will become less popular and being outdoors will be more popular.

How can I start doing one thing today that will give me positive long-term payoff in regards to my health?

Stay away from fat-free and diet free products. They’re filled with chemicals and are bad for your health.

What is your biggest challenge that you face while working in a field of health/wellness/lifestyle?

My biggest challenge is that people are misinformed. The food companies are not providing the real truth of whats in food. I feel like people are eating chemical filled foods and don’t realize it. My advice is to know what the hell you’re eating.

Best advice you can offer to someone struggling to stick with it, or to find meaning in their fitness routine?

Just do it. Wake up. Work out. Eat clean. Sooner or later it will become a habit like brushing your teeth. Check out my blog here. And check out The Skinny Confidential book here.

If your were an animal what would you be?

Definitely a chihuahua. They’re bad ass and I’d want to hang out with my dog

Meet: Augusta KY

The weekend was spent strolling through this quaint little Kentucky riverside town. What is strolling? I can’t even remember the last time I strolled. With about two blocks of solid city there was a lot of time to walk…the long way…around the block. If there is one thing that is known about Augusta KY it is that the Clooneys rule this town, which means the city is frequented with George (who Cincinnati tries to claim as their own) homecoming events every few years.  I realized they were like any small town family as Nina Clooney came over while we shopped in her antique store and complimented my (resale) dress, and I pretend to not be dying of excitement. It was a weekend of full fat eating and absolute simplicity.

It’s the type of town you picture to have patios like this. Vintage furniture and perfectly accented brick weathered by river air.

The stores were filled to the brim with disturbingly adorable things. Displays that convey without a doubt of the necessity of Siamese cat creamers in your life.

Home to the oldest winery in the USA, I wasn’t surprised to see that the view from the cellar into the winery is exactly what heaven looks like.

…and what heavenly beverages looks like.

Dina at the heaven winery lived up to expectations when she likened us to Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, a compliment I am sure to never receive again, but will be sure to repeat whenever possible. Being Marilyn for the day combined with Nina’s praise claims this my first ever A-lister weekend. The next day we saw this poster at the cafe which was all the affirmation we needed.

Sunsets in Augusta are slower and warmer. The end of day warmth fills the town that has been shut down for hours. No one works past 5 and everyone knows how to take a step back and slow down.

-RV

Downsizing

Some are kept awake by the stresses of their day, a big presentation at work tomorrow, or a fight with a friend. What am I agonizing over in the late hours of the night you ask? I am losing sleep over pondering a little too obsessively over everything I am not doing. Even though a million things are being done, the pondering always veers in the other direction.

It is what causes projects to be perpetually half finished. It can lead to excessive applications to jobs that aren’t remotely interesting, and other obscene things done during regular sleeping hours over lots and lots of stale coffee. I, like many in this post grad life, am so wrapped up in the vortex of commotion and uncertainty that is the excitement of being busy.

You really can’t even call it excitement, because half the time it isn’t exciting at all, it’s downright miserable. It’s that time when you have to be in three places at once, find yourself working 5 jobs, and answering a phone interview while babysitting 4 screaming kids for a little side cash. Then you’re at home wondering how your life wound up like some B list Katherine Heigl ‘I am woman movie’ and everyone else you know is somehow taking advantage of the novel things in life, like weekend trips and lunch dates. And the last thing on the biblical to-do list is to relax because there simply isn’t time.

It’s basically one of the hardest post grad lessons ever, to try to start focusing on something you actually want to do.

A few ways to take it down a notch…or 50

Pick the top three: narrow down the commitments that are most interesting and cut the negative ones.

Say no: after years of saying yes to everything it’s finally time to get a little bit more selective and refined. For example… never buying wine from a gas station again…just say no.

Do something unproductive: read the lame magazines, start a new Netflix show, or cook something that didn’t come out of a freezer. Anything but something that contributes to the growth of your future. Preventing burn out and the impulse to turn to self-help books.

Stay focused: pretty shiny enticing opportunities are always going to be there. Spend time on the ones that make sense. How it will this mesh with life right now.

Lack of focus leads you to jobs that don’t make sense, dead ends, anxiety, and worst of all feeling inadequate. You could have all of the success in the world, but if you are too busy multitasking 500 side projects, the success won’t mean anything at all. It sounds like such an over achiever problem to have, and that’s because it is. Trying new things, a social life, taking weird classes, all of it involved you taking interest in something new and all of it was equally exciting.

When the structure of school is gone and the real world starts creeping into focus, the new focus needs to be creating that structure for yourself. Little did I realize college funded my ability to be absolutely spontaneous, to try anything without totally risking it all, and to do it all at once. Life beyond college demands more of a game plan. It goes against the grain of every Tom Petty quoting 20 something and that’s OKAY seriously, Tom Petty wasn’t trying to say you should forever remain a 13-year-old.

It starts the process of growing up//growing into who you came to be these past four years. While letting go of the constantly filled calendar of events may feel as if your vast range of intellectual interests are being discounted, channeling all of these interests towards a more focused objective makes the process of downsizing an adventure within itself.

-RV

Nasty Veggies

For the past month I have been really trying to clean it up one meal at a time in order to offset the mishaps that may occur later in the night ie. desert. This has led to a serious focus on lunch because it is easily pack-able and you normally are stuck at work to eat it. Being at work means there is less of an opportunity to opt out of salad since you are most likely stranded behind some desk or in a meeting; dysfunctional conditioning at it’s finest.

Basically locking myself into this whole super clean eating commitment by default. It’s not that I’m over here eating pizza and cookies 7 days a week, but you just feel 100x better with one nutrient packed super clean meal in your daily routine. What has been a pleasant surprise through all of this is the fact that it hasn’t actually felt like I was being held hostage at the will of a daily salad. Everyone goes through serious phases of this clean green eating thing, and like most people I have never been so inclined to like vegetables which I know I know, you better start consuming them if you want any chance of wearing a swimsuit during daylight hours. It’s just I keep having flash backs to that one time it sounded like a good plan to have an added spinach element on a daily basis, sometimes the sight of a big Simple Truth box still makes me shudder.

So what do you do when you are trying to make greens a habit? Obviously pick the nastiest ones you can imagine. As in the ones that you skip over on the veggie tray, the ones that you’ve bought so many times only to throw away all soggy and smelly.

It sounds extreme but this tactic has opened my eyes to how easy it is to make nasty veggies taste so much better. Experimenting with veggies is like any fear facing tactic only worse because you have to eat it. By exposing yourself to the point of resistance, it is much easier to allievate the generally negative emotions eating a bowl of grass like substances can induce. My nasty greens salad has become a staple on the grocery list and something I actually look forward to.

So what makes the cut on the nasty greens salad?

Kale-only one of the healthiest things you can consume in the world: cancer fighting, detoxing, vitamin C, vitamin K

Cauliflower-cancer fighting, detoxing elements, anti-inflammatory

Broccoli-keeps things moving, detoxing x2, skin

Carrots-okay not all that nasty but they have been making it into the salad: eyes, skin, immune system

+ Olive oil + lemon juice+garlic salt+pepper+ (because plain cauliflower is a miserable experience)

And here is what this bad boy looks like

 

Nothing earth shattering here, and probably favorites for some people, but I have never been able to enjoy these guys unless they are masked by a whole lot of extra jazz. This bare essentials salad has so much flavor for having so little added and discoveries like that are invaluable during these days of processed, pesticides, and whatever other evil health experts say has been cast over Kroger Marketplaces nationwide.

This super clean green daily salad will show you a good kind of nasty.

RV

Burgers and Beers

After months of searching high and low for somewhere to live that doesn’t feel like a bed bug’s paradise and without dodgy neighbors that stare ominously over the balcony as you walk into the building for the first time, we are closer to finding a place.

That’s not to say it was smooth sailing. The entire process felt like the scene from the recent Hunger Games when they are running through the woods and keep getting lit on fire, attacked by animals, and drowned by rain. Except real life booby traps come in the shape of grizzly plumbers. Needless to say the whole theory on landlords is officially valid.

See viewing number 2. It was the coolest area with brick streets lacking a lot of the original non-negotiables, but those have a way of being forgotten when there is a downtown view. Red flag #1, the door is wide open blowing in the wind upon entry. Red flag #2 A man’s voice upstairs echoes “the mold issue isn’t nearly as bad this time of the year.” and red flag #3 the neighbors door has a flag decorated with a naked woman on a pirate ship.

The place was the size of a closet and made the whole best view in town thing about as exciting as the closet sized bedrooms and the questionable nailed to the wall heating system. Rick the plumber was showing the place and didn’t say a word the entire time, besides the charming mold remark he just stared ominously like the balcony neighbors. Just when I would think I was alone to get a picture for the roommate I would see Rick’s wolf howling at the moon shirt out of the corner of my eye. The thought of that beard and t-shirt hanging around on a regular basis made me a little uneasy.

animalworld.com

No thanks attic cellar apartment it wasn’t meant to be. As I snuck out of the house and start the car I get a text from Rick…”Burgers and beers if you’re still around?” The search was obviously going well.

Coping with a Rick:

1.Rick’s aren’t allowed to have access to your living space.

2. Burgers and beers would be fun if my name was Hank and we were going to a Reds game.

3. No response is probably the best response

While nothing screams first date quite like a burger and a beer, the Rick’s of the apartment hunting experience certainly add a little variety to otherwise lame apartments.

The One Career Everyone Should Consider

Find the original version of this post at the Share it Fitness blog

After sitting down with D1 Cincinnati’s  Jesse Robinson, I immediately rescinded the thoughts I was having of skipping my run due to rainy weather. It is hard to not feel instant motivation after learning about the mentalities and foundational skills that drive the perspective of Division 1 athlete training. Jesse’s genuine motivation and passion is infectious as he explained the similarities of an Olympic athlete and a mom of 5; making it clear that the two really aren’t as different as they appear.

Jesse has huge plans for the future, but a past that has led him to a position seeking endless development of practiced based training methods that genuinely consider the athlete on a personal level. Perfectionist wouldn’t be a far stretch from the truth, but it is apparent that Jesse’s goals go much deeper. His training mentality is all due to multiple mentors who have not only provided the ideas upon which he builds his programs, but enable him to seek continual knowledge.  By being mindful of the need for personal development Jessie applies his own concepts to his research as he seeks to provide a healthier and more successful training program to all of his clients.

D1 Sports training is a nationally recognized training team with facilities from California to little old Ohio. The name is known far and wide as the resource for some of sport’s top athletes from AJ Hawk to Phillip Rivers.  The D1 mentality takes an all or nothing approach in that the trainer/trainee relationship is a mutually exclusive entity. In other words, they want you to be a bad ass as much as you want to be a bad ass.

What I found most interesting after our interview was the idea of implementing your health in the same way that you would a career path. Your fitness should encompass everything from a 10 year plan to properly networking yourself in order to attain optimal success in all aspects of your life. Learn why everyone should consider a career in health.

One of the toughest concepts that active people face is the idea of training smarter as opposed to training longer. Can you shed some light on over training?

When people think about how to avoid over training the thought process immediately goes to setting limits. The reality is much different. Smart training either through injury or in order to avoid injury can range from adjusting reps, sets, and body positioning. It is not as focused on stopping activity as opposed to enhancing the activity you are attempting. And for a lot of people focusing is slowing down.

So less variety and more consistency?

Shocking the body is an adopted trend from the boot camp P90x craze. The idea that you should constantly change it up and surprise your body doesn’t always lead to the safest results.   Yes it should be practiced, but not to the point where you have no actual plan. Especially if you are working to specialize in your sport or simply be stronger in your training, perfect points of weakness and build from there.

What does it take to make it in this industry? As a coach, trainer, trainee, person who enjoys slinging weights etc.

Be purposeful in your work and your goals. Whichever role you are playing, be sure that you have a clear motivation in mind and do your research. If people were truer to their values than to the image being active portrays, fitness success wouldn’t seem like such a complicated concept.

Like being informed when going to the doctor…be a critical consumer of your fitness?

Exactly. With a clear understanding of your goals you have the responsibility to hold your trainers accountable and vice versa. Check credentials and know why you are even listening to the fitness advice you are receiving. Where did these ideas that you are digesting come from? How effective is one opinion’s method in your life? By being more specific and holding your fitness to a higher standard than  Googling the “10 minute workout” will not only make you more committed, but lead to long term success in whatever you endeavor may be. I would always be skeptical of a trainer who claims their training plan is their original idea.

The hardest part is making it a habit… brownies>physical discomfort. Why is this so hard and how can someone establish an easier transition into an active lifestyle?

As a trainer, the primary goal you have with a new client is to give them a reason to make it a lifestyle. Telling someone “because it’s good for you” in no longer a valid reason. As a trainee, don’t just start running because it sounds like a good idea; run because you have a plan to train like a runner. Half committing to a variety of exercise can leave you feeling discouraged and exhausted. Pick a focus for a time, develop skills in that area, and move forward from there. Fitness doesn’t have to be the same thing on a daily basis, but you can’t forget the importance of practice, you need to understand your purpose.

 

Since we now know to be critical consumers, and make lifestyle adjustments what is your take on studio hopping (aka being a spinning addict by day and a yoga guru by night)?

You don’t always have to dive into the flavor of the week. Like with your career goals, develop your strengths and identify your passions. If you are able to feel strong in one area of health or fitness it will yield more positive and more productive results than the alternative.

It can be so easy to lose motivation while seeking out goals. What are a few ways to stay driven towards success?

Find a daily reminder that you can keep going forward. Whether you are an Olympian, a Mom of 5, or an elderly senior some factor needs to keep you coming back. Sure the intensities and motivations vary between these three examples, but intrinsically the values are relatively the same. We want to be better, we want to feel healthier, and we want to feel accomplished. In terms of your health you should have a 10 year plan mentality. Consider how you want to spend your time and develop yourself. Long term mindfulness will yield awesome short term rewards.

Absolute best advice you can provide us with?

Seek motivation in a way that works for you. One of my mentors once told me to try to perfect one thing every day no matter how small it may seem.

The degrees of commitment to health will never be the same for any one person. Learning to perfect one thing every day can be actually waking up to your alarm clock for some, and for another it may be training for an ultra-marathon. In terms of making health a lifestyle, just like a career path, you have got to make it a long term plan and allow yourself to see the bigger picture of what you are working towards. Find a network that works for you, be purposeful, and dominate your goals.

Thanks for the life talk Jesse!