Category Archives: Inspiration

If you want it, act like it

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday August 9, 2016

Recently, my daughter Daylyn tried out and made the freshman high school volleyball team. Daylyn explained to me how there’s such a big difference in skills between the varsity players compared to the subvarsity teams.

Even though it’s early, Daylyn is already concerned about reaching those higher skill levels in order to continue playing throughout high school.

I told her to study the best players on the varsity team. Watch not only their skills, but how they approach everything else. This includes practice, mannerisms, maturity, hustle and how they respond to coaches.

Get in your mind that you’re already a varsity player and to start acting like it as a freshman. Don’t wait until you’re a senior, be that character of a player now.

This really made a lot of sense to Daylyn, and she took it to heart.

Now, let’s think about your ambitions. Do you want to move up in your company? Are you the worker you’d want to promote?

Then start acting like you have that position and be the leader within your current status. You should dress for the position, improve work ethics and treat others with respect. These qualities will get you there.

Let’s think about other categories of our lives. Are you the spouse you would want? The child to be proud of? The neighbor you want next door? The friend to count on during troubled times?

Only you can answer that honestly.

Of course, we’ve all let people down in each of those categories. But, the good news is today we get to start all over. We can make all positive changes immediately.

We all have the qualities to be amazing people. When you encourage others to step up their game, your own self-worth will soar. You’ll reach heights of success and happiness that dreams are made of.

Remember, strong people don’t put others down, they lift them up.

All you have to do is start acting like the person you want and desire to be.

What choices will you make today?

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Friday, July 29, 2016

Each morning, we wake to a full day of choices. Every thought and every action is based on a series of choices.

One of the greatest beauties of being human, is we get to make our own decisions about how we live our lives.

You get to decide on clothes, cars, neighborhoods, friends, spouses, diets, exercise and so on. But, most importantly — how you treat others.

Whatever and wherever you are in life, is due to all the choices you’ve made to date. Now think about that for a moment.

If you’re not happy or you’re miserable, then maybe it’s time to change your thought process by being a more positive and caring person.

Take a hard look in the mirror, reflect on yourself and understand why life hasn’t gone as planned.

To turn it all around and get back on track, start by changing your stinking thinking. Recognize when your thoughts are negative and find something positive to focus on.

For me, when situations aren’t going well, I’ve trained myself to find all the reasons to be thankful. I recognize life could be so much worse.

This starts first thing in the morning when I wake. My first thought of each morning is, “Wow, I’m alive and I get to go out into this beautiful world today.”

It took some time, but once I forgave everyone who wronged me, unnecessary stress vanished. Now, I find beauty in everyone and life has never been better.

My kids have learned to interact with people because I’m always striking up conversations with total strangers. To me, everyone has a story, plus I’m truly interested. That’s why I share so many stories in my column.

Just remember, your thoughts become actions, and your actions will determine your true character. That character is how we perceive you.

So, what choices will you make today? Choose to be happy because you can turn your life around with just one choice.

Turn weaknesses into strengths

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2016 

We all have strengths and weaknesses in every category of life. This includes job experience, relationships, spiritual, self-confidence, diets and habits.

I can’t express strongly enough the importance of competition from childhood throughout adult life. You learn to gauge your strengths and weakness compared to others competing in the same event. When you lose, you discover your weaknesses. When you win, you’re rewarded for your strengths.

We all hate to expose our weaknesses because we’re afraid others will judge us unfairly. But you must learn to pick yourself up and target those weaknesses. It will only make strengths even stronger.

The most obvious example is the sport of boxing. It’s almost certain the outcome is determined by who can protect the body and counter punch. If you can’t do this better than your opponent, you’ll get knocked out.

The biggest discovery is when you can turn a weakness into your strongest asset.

Believe me, I have many weaknesses, and I really do my best to overcome them.

All my years in school and college, my weakest academic class was English. It always dropped my GPA, even though it was still moderately high. I hated writing papers because my grammar was embarrassingly poor.

My English teacher in high school was Mrs. Watts. I think she only passed me because I was dating her daughter. Come on now, that wasn’t my strategy. I really did like her daughter.

When The Galveston County Daily News asked me to become a columnist, I was scared to expose my writing weakness to sports editor James LaCombe. James became my mentor and helped edit my articles until I became a strong writer.

I now write almost daily and it’s become my biggest passion. I also write for a monthly magazine, have written a play and started a feature film.

It still amazes me that I used to hide behind my weakness, but now I’m most known for it.

What about you? I bet if you worked on your weaknesses at work, you’ll start making more money and get promotions.

Most people’s weaknesses are bad diets and poor exercise habits. Make a stance and do something about it. Your whole life will change — I promise.

Today is the day to accept your weaknesses, pour energy into them and become stronger than you could ever imagine.

Use exercise to slay demons

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, July 19, 2016

We all carry different levels and types of demons within ourselves. We know our personal flaws, some of which are very destructive to our daily lives and those around us.

Many years ago, a friend of mine, whom I’ll call Mark, revealed to me that he was a weekend alcohol binger. Mark’s friends would come over, and his house always turned into a party.

At that time, Mark was a husband and a father of two toddlers and didn’t want to expose his kids to that lifestyle anymore.

Mark asked me for some help because he was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I told Mark let’s take it one weekend at a time, and I’ll help you for the next two months.

I’d pick Mark up every Friday and Saturday evening during the time he would normally start drinking. We would spend one to two hours at the gym, where I put him through vigorous training.

Because Mark was worn out, he’d eat dinner, go to bed and get a good night’s rest. To Mark’s surprise, he started feeling amazing in the mornings, especially due to no hangover.

After those two months, Mark signed up for Saturday fun-runs, mini-triathlons, team bike rides and ran his first marathon.

Just know, once your body gets into shape, it will crave the surge of endorphins it receives from exercise. There is truly not a better high.

Mark finally dumped his drinking friends and only hung out with good people and parents whose common goal was to raise kids in a healthy environment.

Mark’s life became overwhelmingly productive. There wasn’t time for any destructive behavior. He looked forward to enjoying weekends to the fullest. He fell in love with himself and who he truly was as a person.

You see, Mark is just like all of us. We all have this passion to help each other, love neighbors and give our hearts around the world. You just have to find it within yourself like Mark did through exercise.

Accept and recognize your demons are out of control. Of course, there are many of you who need professional and spiritual help, but I challenge you to go outside this evening and take a long brisk walk.

Put on your headphones or just do some soul searching self-talks. Feel the sweat on your body and holler, “Hallelujah, I’m alive, I feel amazing and this world is better because I’m in it

Stop giving excuses

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, July 12, 2016

As young kids, we all learned to give excuses for not being able to accomplish something. It was typically due to keep from getting in trouble with parents.

The sad part is there’s still a lot of grown adults using excuses for reasons of being overweight, unemployed, in bad relationships or having destructive habits.

If any of this applies to you, what’s your excuse? Guess what? No one really cares about your excuses. All you’re doing is making us feel better about ourselves because we are giving the world our best.

Now don’t get me wrong, I was an excuse-guy for way too long. Once I owned up to all my faults, I was able to blame the only person responsible — me.

Don’t wait for tomorrow. Take action this very moment. Rewards come through time, work ethic and character building.

It’s time to make healthy choices in all aspects of our lives. If you’re going to the gym after work, then there’s no time for the local bar. When you help perform household chores and show appreciation toward your spouse, then marital relationships will improve.

Quit being lazy and start grocery shopping for healthy foods that require cooking. We live in a society where people want everything fast. That’s why fast-food restaurants are flourishing and more than 40 percent of American adults are obese.

Now get off the couch, step away from your laptop and iPhones, and get your bodies in motion.

Accept that you made bad decisions yesterday because today is the first day to kick this world’s butt. Punch your excuses in the face and become a champion.

Yes, I will run into road blocks, but I’ll turn them into opportunities.

From this day forward, I will fight for my destiny because it’s up to me. At the end of each day, I will give myself a high-five for my determination. I’m beautiful, I’m smart, and have a passion for success.

Look out world — I’m back with a vengeance.

Don’t mess with my sister

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, July 5, 2016

I have two typical teenagers who constantly pick on each other. Yes, my 17 year-old son Dylan and 15 year-old daughter Daylyn are amazing kids, but they enjoy getting under each other’s skin.

During the summer, both kids are attending the strength and conditioning camp at their high school. Each of them competes in separate groups according to their sports.

On one particular day, Daylyn was struggling during the weight room session and was feeling embarrassed. Dylan left all his buddies and came to Daylyn’s rescue to let everyone know that big brother has her back.

Hopefully, as we’ve all discovered as parents and siblings ourselves, when it comes down to it, kids truly love and care about each other, even though at home, you sometimes question it.

My only sibling growing up was my sister Karen Tepera Franklin. We are only 11 months apart, with Karen being the oldest. She actually hates being older now.

Karen and I picked on each other, too, but we were always each other’s biggest fan.

I remember as a young kid playing sandlot football, there was Karen on the sideline yelling for me like it was the Super Bowl. She continued as I competed in all my sports through school.

In high school, Karen wanted to try out for head twirler into her senior year. We would be in the yard for hours a day learning all the cool tricks and moves. Karen was self-taught and had amazing talent.

Believe it or not, I was actually a really good closet twirler. I didn’t want my buddies to know.

I was there the day Karen had tryouts to cheer her on. I remember being nervous for her, and then she won the head position. I was so proud of her.

Even to this day, in our personal and corporate worlds, Karen and I still support all of our endeavors. Yes, we still pick on each other for our faults, but no one else is allowed.

Just know, it’s normal for your kids to pick on each other, too. I sometimes look at it like two bear cubs. Fighting and arguing is part of the bonding process.

I think we can all agree, nothing is stronger than family. Take the time today and let your kids know how awesome and lucky they are to have each other — for life.

If you haven’t spoken to your own sibling in quite some time, then today is the day to give them call — just to say, “I really do miss the good old days. I’m lucky to have you. I love you.”

Learn to take in the ‘now’

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, June 21, 2016

I’m sure everyone has some form of stress in their lives. The only difference is how we deal with it. It’s so easy to let our minds get overwhelmed and give ourselves different levels of depression.

I too, will sometimes catch myself dwelling on negative situations that occurred in the past, including forecasting negative stress that might not even occur in the future.

Lately, I’ve been training myself to take in the “now.” It’s right now where life is the best. I’m as healthy as possible for a 54 year old man. My kids are happy and experiencing the life I’ve created for them. My medical job has crazy stress, but I’m fortunate to make a decent living.

The emails I receive from you readers gives me an overwhelming sense of worthiness to people outside my family circle. I share most of them with my kids to which it has tremendous impact on their desire to help others as well.

You might not realize it, but all of you out there are helping me raise teenagers to be compassionate adults.

I don’t want to go back in time because I’m so much wiser, humble and love all people more than I could ever imagine.

I know a man in his mid-40s who still whines and complains from a dysfunctional mom he had growing up. To this day, he uses that excuse as a reason for all his misbehaviors and inability to find happiness and success.

I told him that it’s impossible to re-ring that bell. Nothing can change the past, but you have complete control of the now. You get to write your own destiny.

Think of all the situations that could be worse and appreciate the now. Don’t even think about tomorrow. Overwhelm yourself with the emotions of how incredible life is right now. Go-ahead, make yourself laugh, cry or both. Take deep long breaths and feel the presence of the now.

Recently, my son Dylan had his first flat tire on his car. It occurred during all this crazy rain we’ve been experiencing. I thought of this moment as a great learning experience to which he learned to change a flat in adverse weather conditions.

To me, it was a cool moment because I was taking in the now. I blended in with Mother Nature and enjoyed every drop.

No matter what is going on in your life, you are here today and this is the now.

One person can affect a whole city

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Recently, I was explaining to my son Dylan about the financial impact that superstar athletes have on their cities. For example: LeBron James generates over $100 million annually from tourists to the city of Cleveland through hotels, restaurants, shopping, transportation and so on.

I continued explaining, to think about all the families who were able to raise their children and have a decent living — all because of one person.

That’s why when LeBron left the city, he did more than disappoint the fans in winning a championship with the Miami Heat. Cleveland, Ohio, really did lose its king.

The whole reason for having this conversation with my 17-year-old son is I want him to start thinking about how he can influence his community.

Dylan replied to me that there is only one LeBron James. I told him, “You’re absolutely right, and there is only one Dylan Tepera.”

You see, Dylan has one more year left in high school, and then it’s off to college. But, I want him to create a career to help others and bring goodness to all.

Don’t just think about working in a corporate environment where you’re being told what to do on a daily basis. Yes, you can start there to learn about the real world, but you must have the desire to go beyond.

At an early age, I instilled in my children to own their own businesses and create a brand that makes people’s lives better. When you’ve accomplished this, then you’ve succeeded.

Don’t worry about the income. Money will follow and grow when you’ve created a brand of integrity and passion.

Now you must think about you. It doesn’t matter that you’ve settled into a comfortable living. We must all find a way to help others. It’s as simple as volunteering to an organization in your hometown.

Look around and see where there’s a need. Try to find a way to generate money or get others involved to help charities or people in need.

We must all act now because we only have a short time on this earth. We are neighbors and in this world together. Our destiny is to inspire and have a positive influence in life.

Flip your thinking to accomplish goals

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Probably, the most challenging component of losing weight is getting our diets in order. Americans are bombarded with fast-food marketing, large food portions and unlimited buffets.

So, as we are determined to lose weight, we continuously say to ourselves, “I’m not going to eat fast foods, fried foods, doughnuts or any unhealthy foods.” But what really happened is those particular foods salivate your brain, which in turn creates more cravings for them.

You must be more positive and proactive by saying, “I can’t wait for lunch to eat a grilled chicken or seared tuna salad with dark green crispy lettuce.” Keep repeating the desire for healthy foods and your body will want them.

The same goes to your workouts. Most people dread knowing they need to exercise after a day of work. You need to flip your thinking and get excited knowing the gym is a reward for a productive day.

In the morning, I lay out my gym clothes and charge my headphones. It’s my reminder that it’s another amazing day because I GET to exercise.

Let’s apply this type of positive thinking for all parts of life. You should wake up each morning excited knowing you have a job. You get to provide for your family and have a quality of life.

Once, my daughter Daylyn dropped an expensive bowl in the kitchen and it broke into many pieces. She looked at me with much concern. I thought about it for a moment and told her, “I didn’t like that old bowl anyway — good riddance.” We both laughed and cleaned it up together.

Now think about that. No matter what the situation was, that bowl was not coming back. I decided to not ruin her day or give myself unnecessary stress. Daylyn loves to tell that story and will probably, one day, use the same scenario with her kids.

Sometimes you’ve got to take a step back, breathe deep and realize how incredible life is.

I can’t take back what happened yesterday, but I’ve got full control of what’s happening now.

Stay positive and be kind to all.

Don’t dread wearing a swimsuit in the summer

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Well, Memorial Day weekend has past and it’s the official start of seasonal hot Texas weather.

I’m sure there are many of you dreading outside activities knowing short clothing and swimsuits are required.

Look, you’ve probably dealt with this situation for many years, but relax; it’s only as embarrassing as you perceive it.

Here’s what I’ve come to realize and understand through my own life experiences.

Usually, young adults from their late teens through their 20s judge others’ bodies the most. This is probably due to the aftereffect of harshness and bullying throughout school years. They think everyone is looking at them when actually we don’t care.

Adults in their 30s become less critical because they’ve started a family and raising children takes full mental capacity. It seems like both mommy’s and daddy’s bodies change after childbirth, and it’s OK; you’re in this together.

Then comes the age of the 40s when you realize your body doesn’t respond like it did before.

The kids are grown, out of the house, and you’re possibly facing a divorce. It’s typically during these years when adults take drastic steps trying to create a better looking body.

Plastic surgeons live in mansions and drive fancy cars due to the panicking 40s generation.

Now, I can personally speak for the 50s age adults. Negative judging of others’ bodies is no longer a thought process. It’s easy to find beauty in everyone. We become more attracted to people for who they are, rather than physical appearance.

I know a lady who is physically drop-dead gorgeous, but once she starts speaking and judging others, she becomes quite unattractive in my eyes.

Sorry to categorize ages 60s and beyond, but it seems that all you talk about is body ailments. You try to outdo each other by who’s had the most joint replacements and surgeries.

Now that hurricane season is around the corner, I can hear you now — “Thar’s a storm brewing in the Gulf. I’m gonna have to board this darn house with these bad knees, back and shoulders.”

So really, don’t worry about what others are thinking because they aren’t thinking about you.

Wear whatever makes you comfortable and enjoy the coming summer months.