Being in the present, living in the here and now is a gift that you give yourself and others. It gives you the ability to be fully engaged, in all aspects of your life, in return grass will not grow underneath your feet, and there will be no missed opportunities. But when you are on your phone, in that la la land, or on that video game with a jet pack on saving Mars from mass destruction, it can lead to feelings of regret, disappointment, and disillusionment. To be fully present, you must be engaged mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually at a moment's notice. Sometimes we are there, but our minds are elsewhere, being in the present, we are soaking up the sights, sounds smells. The present is a natural state of being, the continuous arrival of the now, lets us recenter, and regroup ourselves, coming from a place of authenticity. One of the best tools in your toolbox for staying present is mindfulness, it is an accepting, open, nonjudgemental, and curious focus on one...

  We all have our mountains, overcoming that obstacle. Back in the day I literally conquered a mountain, which was Mount Fuji, it is an active stratovolcano located on the Japanese island of Honshu, with a summit elevation of 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft 3 in). It is the tallest mountain in Japan, the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia, and the seventh-highest peak on an island on Earth. I was stationed out there in Japan, me and my rag-tag team had the opportunity to climb Mount Fuji, I felt positive I could climb that mountain, but as we climbed we noticed that some others didn't make it halfway and gave up, when I would follow up with these same people in modern times, they also gave up on life, it is not just a mountain, it is about conquering the trials and tribulations of life. It took me and my rag-tag team of misfits 7 hours to climb that mountain, it felt good, we finished what we started, we believed in ourselves and each other, and this attitude of perseverance...

  A role model refers to an individual whose achievement, behavior, or way of life is emulated by others who also aspire to be at the same level as the person. These role models may be already established in their particular fields, and others want to emulate that success. You can use a role model to identify which skills and behaviors you strive for and what achievements you aim to accomplish. Just knowing that if he/she can be who they want to be, that means I can too, and this ain't no private club. Role models can be anywhere and everywhere, someone that you admire, have something in common with, and who you want to aspire to be, envision your potential, not a clone, your uniqueness put into the mix. Adapting these qualities to our unique circumstances and values, integrating them in a way that aligns with your individuality and personal growth. When we observe role models that have overcome their trials and tribulations and made the impossible possible, it is inspiring to beli...

  Success is a mindset, it can mean many things to many people, it could mean making lots of money, living in a 60-bedroom mansion, or my definition of success, which is achieving personal goals, and working on habits that work towards those goals. Here are some tips: Get up early AKA The Early Bird Catches The Worm-  The early birds have it all under control, instead of rushing to work, like a chicken with his head cut off, they have already started their day, and are calm and collected. There are fewer distractions in the morning, which is a key ingredient for focus. 2.  Read that Book-  Books can be a gateway to knowledge, they can grow your mind and improve your life, They allow you to be more creative and think out of the box, come up with new ideas, problem-solve, and be more tactful. 3.  Quiet Time- Quiet time and self-reflection is good for processing thing going on in your life, being mindful and aware of what is happening in the present, can reduce anx...

 I enjoy going for a walk, it clears my mind, and ideas seem to flow naturally, I feel as one with the universe. Even after a short burst of a 10-minute speed walk, I felt more alert, and energetic and had a more positive mindset. When you are at your desk, and you have a mental dilemma, I think it's time to go for a walk, people who take a break from work-related activities and go for a walk, have noticed that their concentration has improved with better focus. Walking can help you clear your mind, trigger new ideas, and spark those creative juices. Walking is a self-esteem booster, it can also help you improve your body image, the more pounds you shed, the more you look and feel great. When you walk outside, the scenery around you is constantly changing, you may meet new people, get to smell the flowers, and you can always change your walking path, these experiences you will not get while on a treadmill. Walking does not just have mental benefits, exercise is believed to decrease...

  The term "Embrace The Suck" means that while the current situation may suck, you have to embrace it and move forward to complete your mission/task, To confront things that make you uncomfortable. I know most of us would rather be on the beach with rainbows and unicorns, deep inside our happy place, but reality kicks in, sometime in your life you will be in comfortable situations, that you have to endure and overcome to get to the next level. Even in the gym, you have to do workouts but rather have a Netflix and chill night, rather eat a pizza than drink a protein shake. Embracing the suck is a good attitude to have, and is helpful for any kind of self-improvement.  Change your situation You cant embrace the suck if your accepting your current situation for what it is "The new normal" Embracing the suck is a process of action and realization. Without action, you will be more unhappy than before. Be comfortable being uncomfortable Embrace the suck during different p...

  A community is a group of people with diverse characteristics who are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in joint action in geographical locations or settings. What scientists have found is that social isolation is associated with higher anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and suicide rates. Social connections bring lower anxiety, proper sleep, and happiness, in other words, community is critically important to mental health. As humans, we are social beings, we are not meant to be huddled strangers, passing by each other like ships in the night. A sense of community is important for us to thrive, and gives a feeling of belonging. There is nothing that you have to change to be part of the community, but instead, you may be embraced and appreciated for your uniqueness, just remember, we are all the same, we are all different. There are a few different approaches to finding your community, such as... Explore Your Interests:  Check your local newspaper ...

  As a combat veteran who served two decades in the armed forces, going to college was a new world, being a little older and more mature than other students and sometimes the professors. My thought process was, that I am a grown man, I am not going to jump in a pile of leaves, I already went through my wonder years. I was prepared for an uptempo environment and workload, but was surprised how biased the faculty can be, they have their belief system, which I call "The World According to them". They may have strong political and social beliefs that seem to pour into the classrooms. All in all, college was a good experience, I applied my military training and directed it towards completing my mission, which was a master's degree. Here are some tips to help you out on your scholastic journey, if your civilian, I hope this brings awareness and you look at veterans through a different lens. Veterans are not monsters, they are heroes who served our country and fought for our fre...

  When you have a controlled obsession, you have a clear vision of what goals you have and how to complete each goal, which will lead you to the end goal of completing your mission. When you are obsessed with your goal, you have entered..."Beast Mode" and will not stop until you have achieved your goals. Consistent focus on a certain goal creates problem-solving and better ways to do things, if you give 100 percent, the same as would the want and need to Breathe. It is time to understand that if you want to get something out of your life, you have to work for it. I am talking to the one that wants to go beyond thier limits, the one thats willing to work a bit harder than the next man or the next woman, I am talking to the one that wants to take it to the next level, you cant be concerned on what cant be done, be focussed on what can be done.It takes grit, passion and determination to get to that next level of where you want to be, but you have to understand the difference bet...

  In our day-to-day lives, we sometimes encounter people that may not be on the same page as we are, they may look at the world with a negative mindset, spreading hate and discontent, while we prefer happiness and no drama. Some people have passive-aggressive behavior, which is a pattern of indirectly expressing negative feelings instead of openly addressing them. There is a disconect between what a person who exhibits passive-agggressive behavior says and what he or she does. The signs of passive aggressive behavior may include "The Silent Treatment" "Vagueness" "Procrastination" "Sabotage" "Sulking" "Singling out specific individuals" and playing the victum card. Passive -aggressive behavoir can stem from an inability to express anger, rationalizing ones behavior, or seeking revenge. Here are 3 Strategies for dealing with Passive-Aggressive people. Dont Take The Bait-Control how you respond, avoid overreacting, by blowing a ...

 I'm sure you have heard this a thousand times from your parents "Make your bed!", but there is a reason behind the madness. Making your bed every morning is a good way to start building the habits and self-discipline you need to do well in anything you set your mind to do. Making your bed every morning will give you a feeling of accomplishment, you just finished the first task of the day, which gives you a sense of pride, and create momentum to do another tasker and another. By the end of the day, that one task has just multiplied into many tasks completed. Making your bed reinforces the fact that little things do matter, and if you can't do the little things right, how can you tackle the more challenging things? To start your day right, it has to start with making your bed. The negatives of not making your bed are that clutter and messiness may produce anxiety and can make people feel more depressed since disorganization can impact how the brain works. So the messag...

Greetings, and welcome to Warrior Mentality 1, please let me introduce myself, I am JC, I am a combat veteran that served 20 plus years in the armed forces, I have been everywhere that you want to go, and places...you dont. I have a masters degree in social work (MSW), I attended a private catholic university, I atended this university seeking solace and redemption, to find myself while continuing the warriors journey. I am a Veterans Advocate and a Motivational Speaker. I identify as a Tactician, in layman's terms...I am skilled at making the impossible...possible. Whats  Warrior Mentality, you may ask ? Warrior Mentality is a state of mind that allows you to face challenges and adversity with courage, strength and determination. The mentality of a warrior is always focused on the end game. Every moment, every decision is made with an eye on achieving the goal.The Warrior Mentality 1 blog is about self improvement/personal development/self-care, based on my military service, educa...