By David Tepera, September 6, 2026

There’s no secret, going through life has many emotions. We all encounter successes and failures through every task we attempt. But, what happens is people hold themselves back due to perceived failures or other’s opinions.

Remember, failure is part of the journey. If you haven’t failed, then you didn’t try hard enough. Name something you are good at. How many failures did it take to succeed at it?

For all you athletes, how many times did you fall, get bloodied, sprained joints, knocked down, but got back up to fight another day?

Stop worrying about making mistakes, you will survive them. There are times I reflect over my past mistakes and feel disappointed with myself. Then, I realize that those mistakes led to something greater and I wouldn’t change it.

What’s preventing you from taking risks? Admit it, how many times do you regret not taking a particular risk? Where would you be today if you took that one risk that could had changed your life for the better?

Tina and I don’t regret our pasts because we know every good and dumb decision led us to each other. All the ups, downs, twists and turns through life made our paths cross. Otherwise, we would have never met.

Don’t misunderstand my message. I’m not suggesting to do anything that could be destructive or detrimental. Keep a positive mindset and don’t let others detour your personal journey.  

Now, what’s weighing on you? What and who is preventing you from changing your life?

Let’s start with your health? How many hours do you spend on your phone? Why not put it away for an hour and take a walk? Maybe, it’s time to eat healthier instead of driving through the grease pit or sugar loaded coffer shops.

As we age, our bodies become weaker which leads to falls and breaks. Do something about it and pick up some dumbbells or join a local gym. For you seniors, there are gyms that accept Silver Sneakers from Medicare to pay memberships.

All our experiences mold us into the person we’ve become. Your character is not what challenges you’ve faced, but how you responded to them.

Today, we are all going to put on a game face, pound our chests because nothing can hold us back, so let’s go for it.