You can not achieve greatness without reaching for greater things. I may not achieve all my great goals but I know I can achieve, always going after them!

My eyes are so set on being a motivational speaker. Even if I never get there, there is one thing most of you know about me, I WILL NEVER GIVE UP! You always hear, look at the journey not the destination. Life has picked this destination of motivational speaking about 7 years ago or maybe even longer. But I found my purpose at the bottom of my life……when everything was coming to an end, when life seem to be failing me. Thats when I just tripped over my purpose.

The purpose was to be more positive, to help others do the same and to inspire our younger generation and even the older generation. Even my dang auto correct on my phone at 3 am when I can’t sleep, is telling me my next move. IL. Stand for Illinois, thats where I came from and thats where I am moving back in only a few weeks.

Illinois is were I am meant to be now and some people get it. Some people understand what I am doing….this is amazing! It helps me know I am on the right course, where I am meant to be…..because getting people to understand me has been the hardest part and I have people young and old in my life that get it! I am meant to meet and interact with all of you. What you share with my life helps me strengthen what I share to yours and everyone elses life.

This new journey back home is a strange one, and as always promised in my life it comes packed with challenges. I have grown to understand that these challenges are what shapes my inspiration in the future. There is a mystery to my methods but there is no shortage of desire to get there.

Someone was talking with me about it being more enjoyable to bring someone along on their journeys and vacations. They could not be more right I would absolutely love to share my life’s journeys with no other then the right person or people. BUT, here is the thing, If I waited to do all that I have done with a significant other or even a friend I would have done very little to nothing for the last 7 years of my life.

I have done so much with my life already but if I waited for others these last 7 I would have never work on a cruise ship…..TWICE! I might have missed my opportunity to explore Canada, the Caribbean Islands, Alaska, New York, Ohio, Alabama and other places. I might have missed discovering the heart I have for children and the strongest connection I have ever felt in my entire life with inspiring our younger generation. I am gonna miss the great connections I have made here in Florida but I am sorry Adults, I am probably going to miss your children even more.

Speaking of Florida if I would of waited to go with someone on my dream list Florida tour these last (almost) 5 years, I would not have a destination list longer then Floridians that have lived here all their lives! I saw as far down as Key West, to the oldest city of St. Augustine and as far up and over as the border of Alabama. I have seen a plethora of beaches on the East coast, the West coast, in the Panhandle and in the keys. I have seen so much sea life in nature, dolphins swimming by me in the water and jellyfish riding the wave right up to my beach chair. I have seen manatees, alligators and turtles galore. Florida has a Cave….I have been in it. Florida has a wolf Preserve….I have huged a wolf….yea! Sushi, smoked salmon, ahi tuna…..the food I have eaten is so awesome. The gardens and natural parks I have visited. Riding my bike alongside the Ocean….WOW. The parks, Disney, SeaWorld, and so many others. The list goes on and on. Journeys to be jealous of…..journeys within the journeys. If I waited for someone to go with me I can’t even imagine how many things I would have missed how many things I would have never discovered.

I Discovered new skills. New skills with children of course, both regular education, special education and stealing the attention of my friends kids. New talents in writing too. If you know me I am a man of many skills and I came across the wonderful skill of photography in the best way possible…..I was taking pictures of Alaska with my phone and after I posted the pictures someone asked “what kind of camera do you have?” It blow my mind and transfered to being obsessed with wanting to photograph the moon and buying a nice camera and doing just that!

Norman Vincent Peale said “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” I have never heard that quote till after I took my pictures of the moon and my mind just exploded with positive reality. I believe so much, that everything happens for a reason, so much that I think you are foolish to not believe. Our lives are full of fresh ideas and new adventures but we have to let ourselves follow that path. No its not always safe. Yes its littered with changes and challenges, but dang it….play it safe and you live for nothing more then the story of what someone else has already done. Create your own story, live your own life, don’t wait and remember everything happens for a reason.