I Love Being a Man - Day 1



Hi, I am Mike

  AUGUST 12, 2012

I enjoy being a man, in fact, I love being a man. I love my strength, I love how my body works in its many wondrous ways. I love having agency to make my own choices. I love being a man packed with potential. I enjoy the company of other men (for the most part). I enjoy the brotherhood we share, weather that is as a group of ordinary guys, a body of the priesthood, or even as strangers.

Being a man is wonderful, powerful, fulfilling, and important. I do not put down womanhood and have the utmost respect for women. The only thing that makes me as great as they are is the manhood and the priesthood I bear. Without these I would be nothing compared to my sisterkind.

I know there are many kinds of men. It sickens me that there are men who think they have to be violent, put down others, prove they are stronger or better than others, or who are abusive to women, children, or themselves. However, I am drawn to men who have Christ like attributes, such as compassion, spiritual leadership, or who have strong morals and values. These types of men are not perfect and they don't have to prove their perfectness.

These Christ-like men have a strong ability to use their agency to choose. I admire that. I also admire men who overcome adversity and stick to their plan, making adjustments along the way if needed. These men have strength and flexibility. These are the type of men I want to pattern my life after.

I stated earlier that I love having agency. It is the use of this agency that really sets one man apart from another. I believe I am a pretty good man in many ways. But, unfortunately, I have not used my agency very well when it comes to keeping my health and strength up. I have just let life go on without making adjustments needed to keep me healthy and fit. I do believe I have entered a final crossroads. One road leads to better health, longer life, fulfillment, more success, and amazing experiences. The other road is the same old road I've been following for the past 30 plus years. It leads to continued deterioration of my body, robbing me of my health, happiness, and unwanted or unnecessary pain, disease, and quite likely an early death. Which road to take?

I feel like Rizzo the Rat in Muppets From Space. Rizzo is in prison and is given a test with two choices . . . the cheese or the rat poison! That isn't even a contest, right? Of course I use my agency to take the road to better health.

The Lord has given me many tools over the years. The tools of faith, prayer, scriptures, of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), goal setting, good and inspired books and programs, knowledge, other people who support me, and the atonement as wrought out by my Savior, Jesus Christ. I can do all things through Christ Jesus my Lord. With these tools I am setting out to overcome my obesity and all the "baggage" that comes with it. I find it necessary to blog my journey, to share with others all the successes and disappointments that are certain to fill my days. In doing this I am able to commit myself to this monumental task that is long overdue.

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