Wah gwaan (what’s up?) is a friendly way to greet people while in Negril. The common saying is an easy way to integrate within the Jamaican way of life and make instant friends.
Mi deh yah (I’m doing well) is the most common way to respond to Wah gwaan.
Made my annual trek back down to Negril over spring break for some sun, fun, rum, and reggae. This year I went down for complete relaxation and to enjoy the Irie vibes.
I hit my normal food and music spots to maximize my time in Jamaica but made sure I finished reading the two books I had in my book bag.
Love Negril, irie vibes, reggae, and great food when I’m there.
The Walkinto the Future blog allows me to chronicle thoughts and adventures with my readers.
Goal setting remains a high priority for me, and I make a point to reset my goals each year. I was able to hit all my 2023 goals and look forward to a productive 2024. There are always goals that carryover from one year to the next but decided to add a few wrinkles to my goal plan.
Travel is a central theme to my Walk into the Future and 2024 is no different. I’m heading back down to Negril, Jamaica for spring break in a few weeks. This location makes it on my goals list each year since Negril is one of my favorite places to visit. Can’t wait to get back down there for the great food, reggae, rum, and outstanding sunsets. The staff at Samsara do a great job of taking care of guests and treat everyone like family. The Turks and Caicos is a new destination on my travel agenda for 2024. I’ve heard great things about the Turks and Caicos and want to experience it for myself. It would be a new adventure and allow me to explore another part of the Caribbean. Will target summer travel for this island visit.
I have an overarching travel goal to visit all 50 states. I’ve got 38 so far and want to get busy seeing the other states. I recently signed up for the Rhode Island Half Marathon in May and this trip will allow me to venture north to visit three new states, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. I crossed off Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island last October. Ran out of time to hit the other 3 states so a return trip to New England is scheduled. Will look for an opportunity to visit Arkansas and West Virginia at some point this year. Got a few western states to visit but will focus on the west in 2025.
My exercise program remains front and center when I sit down to write out my goals. I will workout 3 days and run 4 days each week. My targeted weekly mileage is 30 – 40 total miles which would put me slightly ahead of my 2023 mileage numbers. My current race schedule is listed below:
2024 Bridge Buster 5k
2024 Vero Beach Half Marathon
2024 Town of Celebration Half Marathon
2024 Fleet Feet Run for your Heart 10k2024 Sailfish 10k
2024 Winter Park 10k
2024 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon2024 Rhode Island Half Marathon
I’m sure I will find a few additional races to sign up for, but this is what I have so far.
Reading is another major component of my goal setting process. I set a goal of reading two books (minimum) monthly in 2023 but did not hit my targeted goal. I read quite a bit but never got close to two books per month. I enter 2024 with the same goal and I’m happy to report I am ahead so far this year. I’ve made a concerted effort to pick topics I want to explore (leadership, team dynamics) to ensure I stay engaged in the process. My book selections in 2023 were ambitious but did not excite me so I began to lag in effort—not in 2024.
I recently purchased a new grill and will look to get good use out of it in 2024. The grill provides me with healthy options that I will leverage to cook more this year. I’m not a huge fan of leftovers but can eat grilled food daily—love the flavor. I will grill or bake twice weekly to ensure I’m getting healthier dinner options—especially on the weekends.
Professionally, my goal is to network and identify additional consulting and speaking roles. I’ve found success with local business contracts and want to get a few more. My Authentic Leadership platform continues to grow, and I want to share it with other organizations.
Volunteering in the local community is another goal I want to meet in 2024. There are multiple options available, and I will get active in 2024.
Lastly, the Leadership eBook is coming! 😊
What are your goals for 2024!
Irie!
“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hope”.
“Either you love Virginia Beach, or you are wrong”.
(Anonymous)
My first Virginia Beach adventure was to tackle the 2021 Rock N Roll Half Marathon.
I always heard how great Virginia Beach was and wanted to experience it for myself. I enjoyed the race, beach, board walk and the people. The plan was for the running tourist to make this an annual trip to tackle the Rock N Roll Half Marathon. Turns out the city of Virginia Beach did not enjoy the partnership with the Rock N Roll folks and decided to cancel the race—they didn’t want an outside organization shutting down the streets or boardwalk over a long holiday weekend.
I continued to research Virginia Beach races with an eye to return to the area at some point. Really enjoyed my initial experience and wanted to get back and explore a bit more. I signed up for the 2023 Shamrock Half Marathon in March but decided not to run since it was the same week as my Negril, Jamaica trip. That would have been too much travel for me in one week. I love to see different sights but that was a bit much for the running tourist. LOL.
The city of Virginia Beach and J&A Racing partnered up to host the Chartway Virginia Beach 10 Miler over the Labor Day weekend. Decided this would be a great race for my return to Virginia Beach especially since it was over a long weekend. Never ran a 10-mile race but viewed this as a great training run and an easy way to set a personal record (PR). This distance fit my training schedule and allowed me to see Virginia Beach from a different angle.
Flew out of Vero Beach on Breeze Airways for the first time. I normally drive over to Orlando for a Southwest flight, but Breeze is new to the area and had direct flights to Norfolk. No extra driving and airport parking is free in Vero.
Arrived in Norfolk without any delay and made my way to the Enterprise Holdings rental counter. Norfolk is a smaller airport so getting out of the terminal and then the parking garage was an easy journey. Made my way over to Virginia Beach and checked into my hotel. Decided to book my hotel early this time and stayed directly on the famed boardwalk and beach. Staying directly at the beach allowed me to just park my rental and walk everywhere I needed to go while in Virginia. The beach, restaurants, and live music were easily accessible from my hotel.
The race EXPO was held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center which was two miles from my hotel. Decided to walk over to the EXPO to get my race bib and gear. Used this walk to stretch my legs the day before the 10-mile race. Made a quick stop at a local farmer’s market to check out the goods—didn’t buy anything but got a good vibe for the Virginia Beach farmer’s market scene. Lots of vendors and friendly people out and about the day before the race.
The EXPO was small—just a few vendors available and only one spot to get my customary EXPO photo taken. Picked up my race bib and made my way to check out the vendors. Didn’t need anything but wanted to see if I could pick up another race shirt but the selection was not great. One of the vendors sold race bib magnets—some runners use magnets to hold their race bibs instead of safety pins. Decided it was time for me to step up my game and purchased a set of magnets to use during the 10-miler. Small investment but I will get a ton of use out of these magnets. Carb loaded a bit more after the EXPO and headed back to sit on the beach before going to bed early.
The race start line was only two blocks from my hotel and the finish line was directly below my hotel room on the boardwalk. Got up early on race day so I could stretch and mentally prepare for the race. I didn’t have a set finish time planned but wanted to run as fast as possible to test my fitness over a longer distance.
I was assigned to Corral #2 and made my way towards the front of the waiting runners. This was an opportunity for most of us to continue to warm up and get a few selfies of ourselves standing around in a race line. Made sure to give myself some room to maneuver in case runners around me were not paying attention—didn’t want to trip with so many people in the corral.
I wanted to run a clean race where I could ensure my pace was consistent and provide a good finish to the race. My last race in Virginia Beach was a struggle at the end because I didn’t pace it out correctly AND there was a bridge crossing at the 11-mile marker. NOTE: we crossed that same bridge during this race, but I was physically and mentally prepared for it this year.
The highlight of the race weekend for me was the post-race party. It was on the beach with live music, good pizza, and beer. The best part of this scene is the post-race party was across from my hotel. I got a chance to drink as much beer as I wanted without having to worry about how I was going to get back to my hotel. I simply walked off the beach, got on the elevator and went up to my room when the music stopped. A 3-hour nap awaited me!
There was a ton of live music available during the weekend and I made a point to get back out to check out the bands. Virginia Beach has a cool vibe, and the folks up there are super friendly. Made my way back to Catch 31 for great food and a nice view of the King Neptune statue. The sound stage had a ton of activity, so this was the spot for me to kick back and enjoy my time in Virginia Beach.
Looking forward to my next race weekend in Virginia Beach—just got to figure out which race I will tackle up there next.
My Walk into the Future allows me multiple outlets to explore passion, interests, and new hobbies.
One area I continue to expand, and grow is my love for beautiful sunsets. I always joke with friends that I’m not a huge fan of sunrises—this is simply because I never get up early enough to see them too often.
The sunset has a magical feel and pull for me. I’m always amazed when the colors in the sky change and reflect differently over water than over land. The reflections add a new dimension and provide a level of awe for me. I get my phone ready whenever there’s an opportunity to take a shot of the sky. I share a lot of these pictures on my Instagram feed and send some of the best ones to my tree branches.
Decided to compile some of my favorite sunset pictures and share with my Walk into the Future readers:
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…The man who never reads lives only one”.
(George R. R. Martin)
My Walk into the Future provides me with the flexibility to add new adventures daily. I continue to view this life I lead to engage my mind, body, and soul. This blog gives me a space to highlight what I am doing, thinking, or getting ready to accomplish.
Goal setting remains a huge part of my success in life, and I look for ways to leverage my goals to help me continue to move forward. I review my goals daily to ensure my energy and focus are consistent to meet or exceed them.
I set reading goals each year in January with intent to read something daily. My daily readings center around Proverbs and a few companion books by Joel Osteen. I started reading Proverbs daily when I lived in Warner Robins, Georgia and this Atomic Habit remains strong. Joel Osteen created a 31-day Proverbs companion book which I utilize when completing my daily Proverbs readings. This little book has helped me understand more and brings Proverbs to life with language for my current Walk into the Future.
My larger reading goal is to read 1 book monthly. There were years where I would be super aggressive with this goal but decided to create a reading goal that provides me an opportunity to stay on track. Please note, just because it says 1 book monthly does not mean I can’t read more, and I do. I am an avid reader and love to sit on the beach with a good book and cold beer to practice this hobby. My love for reading started in middle school and it has not slowed down except when my schedule gets in the way.
The books I select range from leadership, communication, and inspiration topics. These are topics of interest for me so stick to areas I seek growth. I have a couple friends who inquire about my reading selections and have started to read the same books—you can say we have an informal book club going. We discuss the books after everyone has completed them and look for ways to incorporate the content into life and the work environment. This little book club motivates me to stay on track and focus on my reading. It has also provided me with access to books I may have missed on my own. I tend to stick to authors I know but the book club expands my focus and challenges me to explore other authors to enhance my Walk into the Future.
The following books were referred by book club members:
Disruptive Thinking / TD Jakes
Wisdom of the Bullfrog / Admiral William H. McRaven
16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of your Message / John C. Maxwell
FYI—this was my first TD Jakes book, and I was pleasantly surprised by the content and enjoyed reading his thoughts on Disruptive Thinking. It is something we can all practice daily, but it was great gaining new insights on how to move forward in life daily.
I have read multiple books by Admiral McRaven and his wisdom comes through within the context of leadership and helping teams get better.
Lastly, John Maxwell communication strategies can be leveraged in most work settings and enhance overall operations for the team.
I am on pace to meet my stated reading goals and continue to seek additional books to add to my library. This will continue and help me to Walk into the Future.
How are you doing on meeting your goals? What books are you reading in 2023?
“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers”.
(Psalms 1:3)
My favorite part of the bible is Proverbs. I have been reading Proverbs daily for 15+ years to continue to gain insight and wisdom to help me daily. I share this process with anyone who will sit still and listen to me and have convinced a few others to join me on this journey.
One of my 2022 goals was to read more and expand my readings beyond Proverbs. Psalms was recommended and I decided to accept to gain new insight and understanding. This concept fits directly into the Walk into the Future concept that started this blog.
I have referred to my tree branches—people I mentor or share knowledge with daily. We have been on this journey together and I view my role in their development as an important part of my daily mission.
The tree concept has been with me for a while now and I continue to add branches as my Walk into the Future grows and gains momentum into a platform to help others move forward in life. I view everyone who reads and/or follows this blog as tree branches now and my role is to bring new insight, knowledge, and entertainment to you. Thanks for joining me on this journey!
What does all this have to do with a tattoo? Great question tree branches!
I have been talking and writing about being a tree and began looking for something that was unique to me and would represent a true meaning visually. There are a ton of tree images available, but I wanted something that reflects me and my journey.
I have taken and seen a ton of tree photos, but nothing really jumped out or had the image that would represent me and my tree branches.
I ventured to Southern Shore, North Carolina back in October 2021 to spend some time exploring the North Carolina Outer Bank with a friend who lives up there. Always heard great things about this part of the country and was happy to accept the invitation to come up for a long weekend and explore. I was not a running tourist for this trip so had plenty of time to see the sights, sit on the beach and discover great food spots.
My friend and I made a trip to Aqua Restaurant to sit on the deck, enjoy some great food and catch a fantastic sunset. https://aquarestaurantobx.com/
We ventured down to the waterfront after dinner to get some pictures of the sun setting over the sound. We were able to capture this photo while chasing the sunset.
I understood this was a magnificent photo and shared it with several friends and included it in the blog article I wrote about my trip to North Carolina. Never viewed the photo as unique but the more I looked for images to signify my tree and branches I kept coming back to this image.
Ventured into the Scared Dagger tattoo shop in Vero Beach to discuss the image and possibility of getting some artwork done by them. A local friend and her daughter got work done at this shop and highly recommended the artist who worked on them. I showed him the image and we discussed the size of the tattoo and location I wanted to have it done.
We agreed on the details, and I made an appointment to have him complete the work. Fast forward and he did an amazing job capturing the image and replicating it on my leg. I was amazed how well he translated the details from the photo into my tree tattoo.
The tree branches are very distinct and provide the tree with power to grow, provide shade, comfort, and a level of peace (my thoughts).
Reflect on Psalms 1:3—the tree helps us prosper! 😊
May have to make my way back up to Duck, North Carolina for more tree inspirations!
How impactful is YOUR tree? How many tree branches do you have?
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”.
(Fred Devito)
Ventured back to the Orlando area for the Track Shack 2023 Winter Park 10k.
This was my 5th time toeing the start line for the race but the first time I did not enter with a set finish time in mind. I spent the past 4 weeks recovering from Piriformis Syndrome and my training was limited prior to the race. Yes, this sounds like an excuse, but I was excited to race pain free again. Decided this race would be my test to determine how well I recovered and make a final decision on the 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon in April. Pain in this race would have eliminated me from traveling to Nashville to tackle the hills up there.
Made my way to Track Shack on Friday before the 10k to pick up my race packet and do some shopping. I’m always looking to get new Track Shack gear and wanted to make sure I had time to check out the new selections and colors. It appears a lot of runners had the same idea—the line was out the door when I arrived. This is the first time I’ve experienced a long line at Track Shack, but this was an indication race capacity was full this year.
I didn’t do a major carb load process for the 10k but made my way to the UCF Buffalo Wild Wings to indulge in wings, potato wedges and beer. This is the meal I leveraged to launch me into the 10k. Made sure to get to bed early so I could make my way over to Winter Park with enough time to warm up, stretch and test out my legs prior to race time. I wanted to get a two-mile warm up before the race to ensure I was ready to complete the 6.2 miles with minimum leg issues. There’s a lot of activity around the Winter Park race village—vendors, runners and the Saturday Farmers Market are all in the same area. Great place to watch people.
Made my way to the 10-minute per mile section of the starting corral. I didn’t want to be too close to the front because my competitive nature would have taken over and I would have pressed the pace. Figured limiting my starting position would keep me from going out too fast and possibly aggravating my leg again.
The race was crowded, and the first mile was slow not necessarily by choice but because there were so many runners. This worked in my favor since I couldn’t go fast even if I wanted too at this point of the race.
The runners started to thin out a bit around mile 2 and again after mile 3. I did not experience any pain through this point of the race and settled into a nice clip and started to enjoy the process of racing again. I leveraged a couple of runners for pacing to help me keep a consistent pace through the middle portion of the race. Mentally processed the concept of speeding up but decided to just enjoy the course, great weather and being around other runners. There was no need to push the pace or myself at this point and didn’t want to create a situation where the piriformis became irritated.
I increased my cadence at mile 6 when we made our way back onto Park Avenue. There were a ton of spectators at this juncture, and I pressed the pace a bit to see what I had available for the end of the race. I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and no pain in my legs.
Finished in 1:02:39 and made my way over to the race village to get my beer and take a few pictures while there. Got a chance to catch up with a few runners I know from the Track Shack circuit and did some light shopping at the Farmers Market.
Happy with my performance and not aggravating my running injury. Looks like I’m clear to travel to Nashville and tackle the Music City hills.
Of course, I will get in some line dancing and country music while I’m there. 😊
Walk Into the Future 