Walk Into the Future

Category: Self Awareness

  • Port St. Lucie (PSL) High School Leadership Awards

    “Leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into reality”.

    (Warren Bennis)

    My Walk into the Future provides outstanding opportunities for me to make a difference in the world.

    I rarely turn down a chance to speak to groups to help others move forward in life and help them prepare for career success. A work colleague recently asked me if I would be interested in speaking at the Port St. Lucie High School awards ceremony. I was honored with the request and said yes on the spot. I viewed this as an opportunity to reach back and help a group of young leaders on their journey after high school. 

    This was also a chance for me to work on new speaking material in case I’m asked to speak at graduation ceremonies in the future.  I’m always preparing for something.  There are times I should ask more questions before accepting these speaking gigs but more on that later. 😀

    My role as explained to me was to speak for 5 – 7 minutes and provide inspirational words to the award recipients and other attendees.  I was not familiar with PSL High School or the students there so I decided to focus on how they can implement a formula for success.  My plan was to use the success formula I was gifted while in the Air Force that I leverage daily.

    — Be where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing, when you’re supposed to be doing it.

    I’ve leverage this success formula for years and it’s helped me progress in my professional and personal life. My goal was to let students know it does not matter where you come from or how you start. Success is available to everyone if they have a goal and grit to strive towards it.

    I started with a little background on myself where I shared with the students my lack of success when I first started my educational journey.  I attended Lake City Community College right after high school, but I was not successful.  I shared that I’m probably the only person they will meet with a Ph. D. who flunked out of community college.  This allowed them to see failure can be a part of a successful life and professional journey. 

    My words were well received by the students, parents, staff and school administrators. I felt good about my message and how I delivered it.

    So, why should I have asked better questions prior to the speaking engagement? Great question Lynn! 😊

    Well, it turns out the high school principal was out unexpectedly, and they needed someone to fill in handing out awards and taking pictures with over 250 award recipients. Yes, I was elected to fill in for the principal and shake hands with each student that crossed the stage. I joke that it was a chore, but it was an amazing experience to greet the young people who got positive things accomplished during their time at PSL High School.

    The highlight for me was when a student with Down Syndrome won the most popular award and he hugged me when he came on stage. He was so excited, and his fellow students were thrilled for him.  He danced off stage after receiving his award and there were smiles on the face of everyone in attendance.

    My friend, Alisa, attended the event with me for support and ended up taking pictures for me to capture the great moments with the students.  We joked that she was my publicist, and several presenters asked her to take their pictures as well since they thought she did this for a living.  She enjoyed interacting with the audience and it was a great sport taking pictures for complete strangers. 😊

    This was a great experience for me and allowed me to spread Authentic Leadership to a new generation.

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”.

    (John C. Maxwell)

  • Poetic Flow: Life

    Photo by Nur Yilmaz on Pexels.com

    Living the life I lead

    Has more depth than it seems

    Daily flexibility to pursue my dreams

    Regardless of where they lead or seem

    To take me

    I succeed

    This life I lead

    Allows for unlimited adventures on my timeline

    No need to delay gratification while I move forward in the world

    Basic tranquility and happiness

    Allow me to live this life I lead

  • 2025 Nashville Half Marathon Part 2

    “Nashville vibes and honky-tonk nights”.

    (Instagram)

    My Walk into the Future in Nashville, Tennessee (NashVegas) provided me with new adventures this year!  I normally stick to my tried-and-true venues but wanted to explore a bit more this year.

    The Stage

    I know this is one of my regular stops when in Nashville, but I always like to stop in.  This is my favorite live music venue in Nashville because of the actual stage and the way the music carries throughout the venue.  The view of the band is never obstructed, and the sound system provides a great acoustic backdrop for the crowd.  There’s not much of a dance floor, but you occasionally will see a few folks out dancing to the music. 

    Category 10 (new)

    This was my first time visiting Category 10.  This venue transitioned from the Wildhorse Saloon and now features Luke Combs and his musical endeavors.  The Wildhorse Saloon is a place I loved visiting for the great music, large dance floor and line dancing.  Luke Combs and his team did a great job renovating this venue and turned Category 10 into a destination in Nashville. 

    The main dance hall is huge and has three levels.  The stage and dance area are the largest in the Broadway area and the crowds continue to flock here.  I was able to get in some line dancing before and after the half marathon and enjoyed every minute of it. 

    Bon Jovi (new)

    Jon Bon Jovi has the newest bar on lower Broadway.  I walked by the venue several times before deciding to go in.  I thought it would only be a rock venue but there were country tunes coming out on the day I walked in.  This was a huge venue with multiple levels of music to include a rooftop bar.  It was a nice spot and I’m sure I will visit again on my return to Nashville.

    Jelly Roll (new)

    I’m not sure how new this spot is because I’ve walked by this location on lower Broadway multiple times but never ventured in.  It has multiple levels, but it is not a huge venue.  It has a great sound stage and angles to watch the bands play.  I’m not sure how often I will visit this spot, but it was a nice change of pace from my normal Honky Tonk adventures.

    Morgan Wallen (new)

    Morgan Wallen’s bar is called THIS BAR after one of his songs.  It’s not on Broadway but you can see it from Jason Aldean’s rooftop bar.  I’m not a huge Wallen fan but there was a stream of folks going in and out, so I decided to join the crowd.  The rooftop bar had great views of the Nashville skyline and an outstanding sound stage.  The beer was cold, and the crowd was ready to have a good time.  I decided to stick around for multiple beers and vibe with the band. 

    Jason Aldean’s

    This is my favorite rooftop bar in Nashville!  It’s right in the middle of Broadway and offers views up and down Broadway.  The crowds on the rooftop are mellow and kicked back on sofas or high back chairs.  The best bands play on the rooftop and the dance floor is always packed.  This is a great place to watch people and listen to outstanding musicians.  I highly recommend this spot if you are heading to NashVegas!

    Well, that’s my Nashville report on places I visited on my most recent trip.

    Which venue are you going to visit? 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Nashville, where the music flows like sweet tea”.

    (Unknown)

  • Going alone with EmpowerMEnt

    “Solitude is independence”.

    (Herman Hesse)

    The Walk into the Future blog is ready to give a guest content creator shoutout to my friend Melissa Forges.  My first run at a topic suggested by Melissa was Make Every Second Count back in April.  She gave me a total of three topics to generate content and I’m ready to give topic #2 a run: Going Alone with EmpowerMEnt.

    We had a great chat while I drove over for the 2025 Town of Celebration Half Marathon.  I promised her I would put effort into bringing her topics to life.  There are days when I don’t know if I can pull off some of my articles, but I gladly take on this challenge Melissa! 😊

    Our discussion centered around the concept of ME in empowerment.  This play on the word was done on purpose to highlight that it is okay to do things for yourself.  We spend a lot of time taking care of the needs of others and forget to take care of ME (you) sometimes.

    When was the last time you took a walk on the beach by yourself?  It’s okay, I’ll wait for you to think of that time. 😊

    EmpowerMEnt allows you to see it’s okay to do things for yourself without feeling guilt.  We spend so much time doing things for others and this becomes embedded in our psyche, and it becomes the norm.  Please know that I’m not saying drop everything and forget the folks in your life.

    Really, I’m saying the opposite.  The time you spend by yourself to recharge CAN allow you to come back to your normal routines energized.  Yes, taking time for yourself can help you recharge.

    Sitting on the beach is one of my favorite activities.  I just need my beach towel, a good book and beer to entertain myself for hours.  A quick nap is always a possibility when I’m getting ME time on the beach.  I’m able to get a lot of uninterrupted thinking time when I’m on the beach too.  This is a place and mindset that allows me to generate content for the Walk into the Future blog.  Yes, I jot down ideas to come back to for blog article development.

    Running is another opportunity for empowerMEnt in my world. I write about my running tourism experiences in this blog format but running allows me to clear my mind daily.  I’m able to get lost in my run and this provides a different level of comfort and relaxation for me.  I’m empowered to tackle running distances and races to continue my personal development.  I’ve thought about joining run clubs but can’t bring myself to do it since this would eliminate the solitude I desire when I’m out for a run.  Yes, there are thousands of people who run half and full marathons, but I don’t engage with them until the finish line with beers in my hand.  Running may be the best place for me to gain empowerMEnt.

    Researching and generating content for the Walk into the Future blog is my happy place.  I love getting immersed in the writing process as I develop new projects.  I have to avoid writing too late in the evenings because I find myself up past my bedtime trying to complete an article.  The Walk into the Future blog is my major empowerMEnt flex where I get to discover new things about myself while writing.

    Well Melissa, this is article #2! 

    How do you leverage empowerMEnt in your daily life?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “One can be instructed in society; one is inspired only by solitude”.

    (Goethe)

  • Poetic Flow: Control (Repost)

    Life’s limitations can only limit what you allow

    You have control over all circumstances

    This I will avow

    The simplicity of life will make you see

    The things most important can be

    Right in front of you

    But you have to stay true

    The vision you have requires additional work, time and effort

    Put the past behind

    Start to remove the limitations from the process and let the simplicity of life

    Guide your path

    Calvin Williams

  • 2025 Negril, Jamaica (in pictures)

    “Wah gwaan”?

     

    My Walk into the Future ventured back down to Negril, Jamaica for spring break this year.  This is not a huge revelation since I make this trek yearly.  I’ve written about my adventures in Negril to include great food, reggae, snorkeling and enjoying irie vibes.

    This year was a little different since the water was choppy and there were days we were instructed to stay out of the water.  I still found ways to entertain myself and enjoy my time in my adopted hometown. 😊

    So, instead of writing about similar adventures I have each year, I’m sharing my Negril trip with pictures—enjoy! 😊

    Samsara views (Day 1)

    Negril sunsets

    Negril cliffs

    Samsara

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

  • 2025 Winter Park 10k

    “Every pizza is a personal pizza when you are marathon training”.

    (Unknown)

    My Walk into the Future continues to be centered around being a running tourist.  I love to sign up for races and explore locations and enjoy the sights and sounds of each city. 

    Winter Park, Florida is in my regular running rotation with multiple distances: 5ks and 10ks each year in my running schedule.  The Track Shack headquarters is right down the street and returning to Winter Park for races allows me to visit with my friends at Track Shack and Orlando.  I met the owners on a running trail in Tallahassee, Florida while they were visiting their daughter and grandchildren years ago.  It’s always great to return to check out new merchandise and talk with local runners before the races.

    I ran my first Winter Park 10k back in 2019 and have not missed a race since.  I ran my 10k personal record (PR) of 55:57 (9:00 minutes per mile) back in 2021.  Fun fact—my three fastest 10ks have all been run during the Winter Park 10k.  The course is mostly flat and allows runners to stretch out and go fast.  I think that’s the part I love about this race—I know I will be fast because of the course familiarity and understanding when to push the pace to hit the finish line with a good race time.

    The 2025 Winter Park 10k was the last long race before heading to Nashville for the 2025 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  The Winter Park race provides me with a fitness test to determine how much work I still need to accomplish before NashVegas.

    I made my way over to Track Shack the day before the race to pick up my race packet and get settled in my hotel.  I am a creature of habit so try to hit Track Shack before the large crowd arrives.  I like to get some shopping done while I’m in the store and it is better before the crowd arrives. 😊 They didn’t have any new gear in my size, so I just walked around a bit and then headed out to carb load.

    I made my way to the UCF Buffalo Wild Wings to get my fill of wings, potato wedges and beers.  I didn’t need to go overboard with the carbs since this was a 10k—still needed carbs but decided to forego the pasta and use the potato wedges and beer to carb up a bit.

    Headed across the street to my favorite hotel in Oviedo to get off my feet and get prepared for a big race day.  My bedtime comes early when I have a race coming up and I need extra rest to feel fresh—mission accomplished.

    I headed over to Park Avenue in Winter Park with plenty of time to warm up and stretch before the race.  The race village was teeming with runners when I arrived, so I found a spot to stretch without getting run over by folks trying to get to the 2-mile race start line.  I’ve never completed the double race (2-miler and 10k) but a lot of folks like the challenge so they can double up on race medals. 

    I toed the 10k line feeling fresh and wanted to run a good time.  The weather was warmer than last year but there was no humidity in the air.  This normally means a fast time for me regardless of the distance.  Let’s fast forward a bit and I was off my 10k PR by a little over 2 minutes.  This was my fastest 10k since 2021 and I felt good from start to finish.  I was able to cross the finish line with a smile and passed quite a few runners at the end.  I normally zone out the finish line crowds but decided to enjoy hearing total strangers cheer for me.  It was a great day to race!

    I made my way back into the race village to take some pictures and get my ice-cold beer.  Track Shack partners with local nurseries and everyone got a nice plant to take home as a prize.  I collected my potted plant and made my way back to my vehicle.  I dropped off some of my running gear and headed to Croissant Gourmet Bakery for breakfast.  I’ve been to this spot before and decided to treat myself to a great breakfast and do some people watching before heading back to Oviedo.  I highly recommend this spot if you are ever on Park Avenue.

    https://www.croissantgourmet.com/

    Spring break for Indian River State College starts tomorrow and I’m heading back down to Negril, Jamaica for rum, sun and reggae! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “You know you are a runner when you plan vacations around races”.

    (Unknown)

  • WPBF Interview

    “You’re not famous until your mother has heard of you”.

    (Jay Leno)

    Love this quote from Jay Leno and it fits my life quite a bit. 😊

    My mom is the only person who introduces me as Dr. Williams.  She gets a lot of joy introducing me that way and I think it’s a cool dynamic.  She does not think of or view me as famous, but she has heard of me and the work I’m doing on my Walk into the Future.

    I was asked to come down to WPBF in West Palm Beach, Florida to discuss some of the work we do with our military and veteran populations.  We have a large number of enrolled students with military affiliation and conduct a lot of outreach in the community.  This outreach caught the attention of the WPBF news director, and they requested we come down and do a live TV spot to promote the event.

    I was a regular on the local news scene when I worked in the Florida State University’s Career Center.  This was my first opportunity to get back on the air at my current institution.

    You can view the interview here:  https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-indian-river-state-college-supporting-local-veterans-hobbies-helping-hands/64185475

    I’m not sure I’m famous now but it was a fun experience.  Hope you enjoyed the interview.

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it”.

    (Henry David Thoreau)

  • Five Minute Thursday: Favorite TV Show

    “I can’t be with someone like me.  I hate myself”

    (Jerry Seinfeld)

    We are back for another run at the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt. I’m always looking for new ways to share content with readers of my blog and this writing prompt allows me to explore and take a few chances.

    It may come as a surprise but I’m still a huge Seinfeld fan.  I started watching the original series and continue to watch reruns like I have never seen before.

    This Five-Minute Thursday prompt is: My Favorite TV Show.

    Seinfeld is still my show!  Jerry identified it as a show about nothing but there is a ton of substance to the show and the way they developed the characters.  The main characters Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer were must see TV when the show was still in active rotation.  It remains a great show in rerun format, and I still stop to watch full episodes.

    The show covered daily activities but provided a clever and funny angle to each of these activities.  A lot of content was centered around Jerry and took place in his NYC apartment.  The other characters would flock to Jerry to share daily interactions and wait for Jerry to provide commentary.  Jerry’s take was always shallow and brought a new level of fun to whatever his friends complained about.  Each character had unique hangups and this was enjoyable to watch during each episode.

    A few of my favorite episodes are:

    • Yada, yada, yada
    • Shrinkage
    • The Close Talker
    • Not that there’s anything wrong with that
    • The Soup Nazi
    • Sponge worthy

    I’m not sure if you can YouTube Seinfeld episodes by these titles but they will make you laugh if you can find them. There’s a ton of Seinfeld episodes available on TV daily and I’m sure you can watch them like it’s the 1990’s all over again.  This classic comedy never gets old to me, and I watch episodes like they are brand new to me. 

    My one issue with the Seinfeld series is how it ended.  The last episode was one of the most watched shows of all time.  My problem with the ending is it wasn’t funny!  I thought they spent more time rehashing previous encounters and forget to leverage the last episode to complete a comedy masterpiece.  It left me wondering WHY and wanting more from such a successful run.  Oh well, this doesn’t stop me from watching the Seinfeld reruns daily when I get home from work.

    What’s your favorite TV show and why?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Serinity now”.

    (Frank Costanza)

  • Back to the Future

    (Image by Tumisu from Pixabay)

    “Opportunities don’t happen; you create them”.

    (Chris Grosser)

    What did you want to be growing up?

    This was an icebreaker question in a recent meeting we had at work.

    It seemed like a simple question, but it made me pause for a second.  Why do you ask?  Great question as always Maria! 😊

    Well, I had my mind set on being a forest ranger when I entered high school.  I didn’t know anyone who was a ranger, but I always saw them around growing up in rural northern Florida.  My hometown is Jasper, Florida which is right on the Florida / Georgia line.  It’s known for farming and fishing, so I spent a lot of time outdoors and wandering in the woods.

    I thought being a ranger would allow me to enjoy this aspect of growing up and help make a difference in the world.  I researched everything about becoming a ranger and joined 4H to develop additional skills.  I thought being in the woods and protecting the environment was going to be my career.

    Well, that all changed when I took a TV Productions class in my senior year. We got a chance to host live TV segments that aired in our school.  I never thought I would enjoy that aspect of the class but found a new joy going to school.  We got a chance to produce segments and conduct interviews with different topics ranging from sports, education and life after high school.

    I changed my mind about becoming a forest ranger due to our TV Productions course.  I started watching nightly news shows looking for pointers I could leverage in our class.  Journalism was going to be my new career, and I was excited about this.   I put a lot of extra effort into this course and a few of us were requested to video football and basketball games and provide the tape to coaches. This was an exciting time and showed another aspect to the course.  I was hooked!  Journalism was my thing.

    Fast forward a bit and I received a partial Journalism scholarship to Lake City Community College.  Turns out school was not my thing at that point in my life.  I flunked out of community college and joined the Air Force.  I had an outstanding Air Force career but never forgot about journalism.

    I started the Walk into the Future blog to share adventures and stories.  It’s not a traditional journalism role but I have people around the world reading my blog and sharing experiences with me.

    I’m not writing for a large newspaper or covering stories from New York as a photojournalist, but I am chronicling adventures and stories to share with folks around the world.  This may have been an unconventional route to get where I wanted to be back in high school but I’m here pounding out articles weekly.

    Hooray for that TV Productions class back in Jasper, Florida!  It opened opportunities and doors for me in life.  Well done, Mrs. Klepper!

    What did YOU want to be when you grew up?  Let’s make it happen.

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop”.

    (Confucius)