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Pollyanna Is NOT Dead.

"Consult not your fears, but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you have tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do." - Pope John XXIII

How many times has someone told you to "look on the bright side," or "think positive?" If you've been a consistent reader of my blog I know you've heard it from me at least once...

Recently however, I've been on the receiving end and I'm grateful for it. Last week I did one of the most difficult things I've had to do: close Muscle Mechanics personal training studio permanently. Am I sad? Scared? Depressed? Well - yes, but this is where I put my words and philosophy to the test. I can choose to give into those negative emotions or I can "look on the bright side." Which decision do you think will change my life for the better?

Pollyanna Complex aside, don't get me wrong. I am not delusional. I know the reality and feel the pain of loss, but because I can still choose my attitude; I can choose to focus on the good and learn from the bad.

With the employment rate at 8.1% at the beginning of May 2012, and when the estimated number of bankruptcy filings for this year are expected to match those of 2011 (1.5 million); I know I am not alone. However, I've got plenty of projects still left on my plate and thankfully I have even more friends and family to cheer me on.

The loss of a brick and mortar business does not diminish my experience or skill. I own those eternally. The knowledge I've gained in the near 20 years of building Muscle Mechanics from the ground up is all mine. The same could apply to you.

If you are experiencing a similar situation my advise is to keep your eyes on that which pulls you forward. Maybe it's your family, maybe it's the dream of going back to school, charity work, or (like me) following a new business idea or dream "of a different color." Whatever it is, positivity and enthusiasm can take you farther than you think. More importantly, they can move you away from depression and self-destructive actions.

I've lost a big chunk of my heart to Muscle Mechanics and I will miss it, but I'm so grateful for the time I had with it, the friends I've made through it, and for the skills & tools I've acquired over those years. These will be the materials I use to cultivate my plans for the future.

After all, we cannot simply rest our lives on any one achievement (fulfilled or incomplete). Instead, we've got to stand on them so that from this higher ground, we can see the future. A future filled with achievements we have yet to accomplish.

This is my driving force. I hope it is yours also.

As Always -(yes, even in difficult times)- Enjoy Your Life!

John Aaron Villarreal


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