A challenging week dominated by emotional instability brought me back to the drawing board and questioning myself - Am I losing my glow? 🤔 Yes? No? Maybe? Temporary glitch, I concluded. This is how I plan on getting my mojo back, and for those in the same position, take notes:

Talk to Thyself 🗣️
Ever heard of the the 5 love languages? One of them happens to be words of affirmation, and you won't know if you speak it fluently until you express it lovingly to yourself. Find moments to encourage and lift yourself up as often as possible. Personally, I use mirrors as a trigger. I smile in every mirror🪞 and tell myself "Nick. You got this!". It's simple, effective and applicable to nearly all circumstances. Find your own sweet whispers to help you find your balance. Other ways could be sticky notes with encouraging messages (things you wish your boss would say more you should say to yourself) stuck on your PC monitor or desk, or handwritten notes i.e 'Show up and show out' thrown in your gym bag to lift you up and keep you going.

Exit 'WhatsApp Groups'
Exit any and all groups, cartels, conversation threads consolidating complaints and negativity. These don't serve a purpose in your life, in fact, they're anchors that'll drag you down and drown you. Protect your flame 🔥.

Find Your Proverbial 'Tribe' 🐾
How? Talk to people. I personally gravitate towards high energy ⚡️, bubbly characters because those personality traits are contagious. I want that, so I will choose to surround myself with it. You should too. Want to feel better? Happier? More positive? Seek out people that already put out this energy and before long it'll rub off on you. For those that don't speak your 'language' or align with the values you want, refer to preceding suggestion. I lost the plot during the week because I found comfort in interactions with disgruntled and unhappy human beings. We sat there trading struggle stories trying to outdo each other 🤦🏿‍♂️. Don't let this be you.

Turn Up the Music 🎶
Uplifting, positive music early in the morning 🌅 set the foundation for the kind of energy you'll bring to your day. Play gangster music in the morning and you'll be a gangster at work. Spin records that ignite the energy you want to give the day. It could be pop music, gospel or afrobeats - whatever gets the juices flowing turn up the volume 🎧.

Celebrate Milestones and Embrace Setbacks
It's about progress, not perfection so if you ever feel discouraged think about how far you've come. Celebrate past victories as they don't expire and often serve as a reminder of your capacity, and embrace setbacks because no matter how crazy it gets, no situation is permanent.

A desire to become more than I currently am made me ponder 🤔, and repeatedly ask the question - “How do you eat an elephant 🐘?”. This desire is not unique to me, it’s embedded in many of us. It’s what drives ambition. I decided to ask and answer this question in my quest to evolve.

Q: How do you eat an elephant?
A: One bite at a time.

It means waking up everyday, getting after it, pole pole, en route to becoming an ‘elder’ in streak society. Consistency is king and progress, no matter how small, compounds and eventually snowballs into BIG wins. The success stories we admire today are a culmination of hours and hours of someone beating on their craft, taking small bites at every meal sitting (read day) before you even had the chance to marvel at them. 🗣️ "Do something every day that brings you closer to your dreams."

Q: How do you eat an elephant?
A: By finding the courage to hunt the beast.

The burden of ambition is the weight of wanting more and simultaneously being intimidated by the beast you have to face to get it. Mental realignment is critical, and it’s all about seeing it, and literally tasting success before it even happens. The law of attraction, when actively applied transcends you long before you achieve your desired outcome. 🗣️ "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."​

Q: How do you eat an elephant?
A: By picking yourself up when you get trampled on before charging again.

You’re going to get dragged and stepped on before you even get close enough to take a bite of the elephant. Accepting that you will fail before you succeed dilutes the impact of falling short and provides the impetus to keep swinging. 🗣️"Victory is always possible for the warrior that refuses to stop fighting."

Last weekend I found myself dragged into a discussion about the gym and some of the messy situations people find themselves in. I was asked for my take as ‘Ba Yama’ ku gym.

🗣️”I don’t care how far someone pushes their chest out or how often someone flicks their hair, the gym is the one place that consolidates people that want to be better. People that want to look and feel better. And because there’s a baseline people are trying to build on, insecurities, if left unchecked can creep in and nothing feels better than words of affirmation in times of self-doubt.” The unscrupulous among us speak this love language fluently in environments where the volume is never loud enough for the recipient not to hear, but for the civilised folk it’s fuel and encouragement. I’m drawn to the positives of any situation so for a better gym experience I encourage the lingo. To be clear, it's the simple English, no code, no hint hint or requirement to read between the lines kind of lingo. 

See someone looking good? Tell them they look good without any extras (😍 ❌) . You’ll make their day, I promise.

See someone showing up everyday? Tell them you admire their consistency. You’ll be the reason that they show up again the next day, and the days after that.

See someone in your space? Smile 😊, greet them 👋🏿 and keep it moving. You’ll help them feel warmth and friendliness. We all need more of that in a world where everyone is too gangster or too much of a 'somebody' to greet those around them. Be kind, it's contagious, so spread it every chance you get.

See someone changing the temperature in a room? Tell them they're on fire 🔥. You'll help yourself by finding inspiration to light your own match and push through your workout.

Why? 🦁
Because when you are affirm others you often identify the traits you would like to have, and if you’re someone with a basic desire to improve, these are the things you’ll gradually develop. If you stick around lions long enough you’ll forget you’re a vegetarian and develop a killer instinct. 

Note: These aren’t one-off events. Nobody ever got tired of compliments.

Remember my bout with gastritis? What I didn't tell you about that experience was my interaction with the lab technician at the hospital. To figure out what was wrong with me, or rather confirm, I had to get my blood work checked and this meant stripping down and taking my shirt off. As he proceeded to draw blood he asked me, "How often do you go to the gym?", I told him every day. He was amused by that and suggested that gym for me was what food is to an ordinary human being; it just has to be had daily! 😄 "How do you sustain it? How do you 'eat' so much so often?" He asked. This is what I shared with him:

I don't think, I just do
Alarm ⏰ goes off and it's time to rumble 🥊. How I feel doesn't matter, and what I think about the weather doesn't matter either -- it's time to 'eat'. Eliminate thinking and ruthlessly execute day in and day out before kaja ka voice has an opportunity to discourage you. I don’t think, I just do.

It's not optional, it's mandatory
It doesn't matter what's going on around me, I'M GOING TO THE GYM. This advice can be applied to anything that's important to you. There's no debate, there's no multiple choice and it's not left to a democratic vote. I am going to do what I need to do to get stuff done. At the end of the day there's really only two things in life; results or excuses.

It's about a system*
"Hard work isn't the problem, it's the consistency of the hard work that's difficult." Key word is consistency, and you can't be consistent without a system. Build a system that consolidates the little things required to get the job done. I pack my gym bag and all gym essentials the night before while my lovely wife sorts out my dietary requirements and ensures the beast will be fed. I plan my training and visualize the end goal... me cracking the sidewalk with each step I take and standing out as the evolution of my species. The objective is to clear the path for nothing but execution the next day.

You cannot progress with a chipante pante approach to the goals you set for yourself. Be methodical.

*I highly recommend the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. You’ll learn everything there is to know about developing habits and systems that set you up for success.

I was meditating one night and minutes into my session something hit me. Year in year out we find ourselves in the same position this time of the year where we make all these resolutions that we seldom stick to, particularly when the novelty of new beginnings starts to wear off. What could we do differently? I asked and answered this question as follows…

Decide 😐
Decide where you’re going and then decide who’s going with you. In that order. The birds you choose to fly with will determine your altitude so surround yourself with high flyers.

Tell people 🗣
Once you’ve said it out loud, you’re bonded to it. Make the goal so BIG that other people get uncomfortable just hearing it 🤯 🙉. The desire to not look like failure will propel you to a higher level. Whether you hit your mark or not is irrelevant, the real question is - will the experience and effort you put in evolve you? 9 times out of 10 the answer will be yes, so let people know what's up then get after it and evolve.

Do it every day and push it 
Whatever you’ve resolved to do must be done every day and you must push it. Too often we fall short of obtaining our goals or realising our dreams because we’re not consistent and we don’t push it all the way. If it’s important enough to you, you’ll get it done. I now train every day 🏋🏿‍♂️, twice a day, and I push the envelope. Why? Because I’ve resolved to become the biggest savage in any room I find myself in. And before you think anything you’re doing is too much, consider the fact that “only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” Don't be limited by the illusion of excess.
​
Model others ✂
Model yourself alongside those you admire. Successful people always leave breadcrumbs. Do as they do, and you’ll often have what they have. Copy & paste is still a winning formula. 

The start of a new year offers an opportunity to hit the reset button. For most people this renewed motivation only lasts a couple weeks and they’re back to default settings until the next year. I’m no exception but this year I’m determined to dominate from day 1 by automating my habits and incorporating a few mental hacks to help me evolve. I think my approach could be of value to others so here it is:

Become a disciple of discipline
This means early morning wake up calls to get a head start on the day and meditate 🧘🏾‍♂️ for emotional balance and later hitting the the gym 🏋🏾‍♂️ or road running🏃🏿‍♂️ to try and stay sexy 😌How you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it. Feed your mind, body and soul before sunrise every day.

Affirm yourself
As a man thinketh, so he is. Who do you want to be? You’re already that guy. Affirm yourself until your thoughts transcend your reality as often as you can. A simple trick I use to remember to engage in this practice is doing so in every mirror I find. I’ve gotten to a point where all I see in the mirror is a lion. 🗣️ The only thing that matters is what you think and tell yourself. Shower yourself with positivity and encouragement no matter what’s happening around you because oftentimes the only good things you'll hear about you are the things you say about you. Learn to be your own booster.

Detach yourself from outcomes
Ambition is everything but it’s often linked (and wrongly so) to tangible results only. This year is about who you become regardless of whether you hit your mark or not. Evolution is intrinsic; embrace the development of character and all the courage you had to muster to chase after your goals. Embrace failure and keep at it until you win. Constant effort is what separates the sheep from the goats.

Show love
Do this every chance you get and lift people’s spirits to a higher level than the one you found. Why? The energy you put out is the energy you get back. Don’t be misled by social media flexing abena “2023 I’m not taking any nonsense.” Be good to people. Be patient. Show love.

“Nick. I’m drowning.” At least that’s how I translated what she told me. It made me realize that most of us experience declining mental fitness levels when life starts to teach us who’s boss. I want to whip you back in shape mentally so read on.

Decide
Decide how you want to feel every waking moment. We can’t control what happens to us but we can certainly decide how we choose to feel about it. It’s entirely up to you.

Be a living testimony to others 🙏🏾
Why you? 🤔 “Why not you?” God doesn’t need you to verbalize a testimony of His grace, he needs you to live it. You’d be surprised to learn that people are drawing courage from your ability to keep going in spite of your circumstances. Don’t let the darkness consume you.

Put out positive energy 🌈 😊
It’s as simple as smiling at strangers and everyone around you. You’ll often experience reciprocity for simple, kind gestures and that will help lift your spirits. ⚠️sulking in isolation will exacerbate the problem. Surround yourself with loved ones and show love at every opportunity.

Like all things, this too shall pass ⏱
Remember your first heartbreak 💔? Or the first time you lost a loved one? All the pain you felt? You’re still here and even if you haven’t overcome it completely you’re dealing with it. “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay then it’s not the end.”

The concept of a curse and a blessing
She complained about the disruptive nature of falling pregnant 🤰🏾 before she was ready and how hard it’s been. As someone without any kids, that’s a struggle I’d sign up for any day of the week. What am I saying? Your biggest complaint, and what you think is a curse would be someone else’s greatest blessing. The struggle’s beautiful, be grateful 😇.

Confide in others
Tell the people you love and trust what you’re going through without complaining about the cards you’ve been dealt. The objective is to seek encouragement and maybe a hug 🤗 . 🗣 “This is what I’m going through... I need your love and support.” Chapwa. In the end just know that you don’t have to walk alone. You don’t have to suffer in silence.

Everything isn’t what it seems
We can’t run away from comparisons but whatever you see isn’t exactly as it seems. Your friends, your peers, your co-workers and your relatives don’t have the smooth rides you think they do. You only see what they show you as the rest of their story is redacted. Everyone has their wilderness. Life humbles all. You’re not alone in your struggles, keep going.

I'm four kilograms lighter from the last time I blogged about my clothes suffocating me and my decision to make full use of the weight loss toolbox to mitigate a disaster. I'm not where I want to be but I'm further than where I began this journey from. I'm building back up to African King status and this is how I'm going about it:

Physical 💪🏿

• 7 weight training sessions a week 🏋🏿‍♂️

Basically no days off. Some of you might have watched a fitness YouTube video and read somewhere on Uncle Google about the importance of recovery and the threats of overtraining. As far as I'm concerned only under-eating and sleep deficit exist as real threats to progress, otherwise you can go hard everyday. Well, those of you in your 30s and under anyway. I'm living proof of this. Don't allow a spirit of laziness to stop you from having the body you want; exploit your youthfulness. My training consists of an hour of heavy lifting daily. I'm pushing myself and at the end of my sessions I'm breathing hard and sweating profusely. It's all about intensity and constantly stretching and challenging myself. More of my sessions are available on my recently created Youtube Channel for those of you that want to do chimpwena.

• Running twice a week 🏃🏿‍♂️

I simply run twice weekly for a minimum of an hour and I do so at the slowest speed I can manage. 😌 I'm an OG member of the turtle gang 🐢 and it doesn't bother me one bit. You should be affiliated with us - we're slow runners purely interested in fat loss. The idea is to stay in a fat burning zone for a long(er) duration. Run or walk, doesn't matter, just keep moving for an hour to supplement your gym activities.

Mental 🧠 🙇🏿‍♂️
I've changed my mindset and mental approach to losing weight. It's no longer about hitting the scales at a certain number but about forming the right habits and behaviours that lead to the body I want. There's a lot less anxiety when I'm weighing in and regardless of what the scale says I know that it's only a matter of time before I reap from where I've sown. Take the pressure off yourself and simply strive to become the kind of person who has the body you want. Do what they would do in most situations and you'll have the same results.

Nutrition 🍛
I intermittently fast for 16-18 hours on most days by skipping breakfast and only eating lunch at 12 and dinner between 6 and 8pm.  I like junk food just as much as the next man but I’ve opted to limit take out to one meal per week, at most two, and that’s usually on weekends. I’ll even throw in ice cream 🍨 or a couple freezits if I feel like it. A hard training and hard dieting approach is unrealistic for most and usually quite damaging. I still cut weight and so will you, just stay active and ensure that most of what goes into your mouth is prepared in your kitchen. Aside from gym it’s the little things such as parking far from your office and taking a long walk, taking the stairs instead of the elevator at every opportunity, and choosing to walk instead of drive to places that you can see that make a BIG difference over time.
In addition to all this, I'm consuming 4+ liters of fluid a day to replenish what I lose at the gym and ensure I'm hydrated throughout the blazing hot weather. Multiply 40mls by your bodyweight in kilograms to determine a reasonable hydration target for someone your size.


🎬 🎥 🎞Subscribe to my YouTube channel for gym related content 💪🏿:

https://youtube.com/channel/UCnNrkUhPDip_LXnbgWCL04Q

"Nick. This fitness life isn't for me. Nili na pressure." I didn't understand at first but she went on to further explain what she meant. Women face a number of hurdles when it comes to getting back in shape and this is how she broke it down for me:

The petty stuff
Cosmetics

• What to do with my hair. Hair maintenance and sweat are huge concerns for female gym goers. Women should consider braids (wash them every other day) and a sweatband during sessions to prevent a cocktail of hair products and/or salty sweat getting into your eyes while you work out. When you’re done you can throw on your wig and go on with your stress free life.
• What to do with my nails. Lavish nails 💅 are a standout feature on the hands of many women but when it comes to extensions you have a decision to make - pretty hands or pretty body? Opt for manicures without extensions as having the best of both worlds is a dangerous game to play and you might end up with a very bad injury if you persist with glued on extensions while attending the gym.
• What to wear. The pressure to look cute ☺️ while you work out is real thing but function and comfort must be prioritized. Focus less on aesthetics and more on comfort and look to buy sports specific clothing ahead of wearing the same joggers you slept in last night to work out in the next morning. 

Mental barriers

• Not being in a social space. Many people want to work out without the excessive small talk and gossip overshadowing their sessions. How can you overcome this? Sign up for classes that simply involve working out without the interaction. Peak performance training with Thabo will tax your system so hard people often only open their mouths to breathe. It's high intensity interval circuit training that leaves very little room for small talk so you can get your workout in and leave in a hurry. 📞 0968896012.
• Intimidation of working out in a group. Everybody suffers from insecurities 😌 I don’t care what the exterior shows, there's a few insecurities underneath. Armed with that knowledge you can go on about your business unshackled from feeling 'less than' others. Words of affirmation, headphones 🎧 on with whatever music makes you channel your inner gangster and keeping the focus on yourself and your workout will get you through this mental barrier.

The real stuff
Responsibility

• Women with babies 👶🏽. The baby wants milk, attention and frequent diaper changes. Workaround: Pump for milk, and gents the last two are where you need to step up and share the responsibility of parenting your children. Mother’s can be the baby's entertainment by incorporating home workouts or HIIT while you care for your young. You don't have to sit and watch cartoons all day, break a sweat and become your baby's source of viewing pleasure.
• Women with husbands 👨. A typical married woman’s morning involves making your husband food (breakfast and lunch), waiting for and giving instructions to your house help and/or school runs. Workaround: Cook in advance and pre-pack your husbands meals. Whatever you ate for supper should be the next day's lunch. Wives married to difficult husbands that demand fresh and often complicated, time-consuming foods I don't know how to help you - mu limbe chabe. School runs should be shared equally so if you take the morning run then your husband should take the lunch/afternoon run. Can't share responsibility? Boarding school is calling.
• Women with demanding jobs 👩🏾‍💻. Ba boss lady, Miss When Women Lead, Miss Independent - I respect and admire your drive 🔥 🫡. But how can you manage things better? Incorporate more balance in your life and find time for other things. Stop being a hero ku nchito, be a hero in your life and save yourself before excessive responsibility starts to show itself on your hips. A lot of the stress we experience from work is self-imposed, you have to be able to intentionally connect and disconnect from work.
• Personal safety ⚠️. This is always a risk and the easiest, cheapest option of walking/jogging can be extremely dangerous. The alternative of working out in a gym full of men can make you uncomfortable because of predators and ichibeleshi. You might want to consider enrolling at Evolve gym. It's a women's only gym so there's no bearded chikwela.

Ultimately when it comes to responsibility for the married or committed among us, you need your partners support. Your husband needs to step up and share responsibility whether it’s with the kids, with the cooking, cleaning - EVERYTHING. Fitness should be a shared goal.

Supplementary reading:
Personal safety
Running and dogs
Chikwela mu gym
Restarting your fitness journey
Women and weights
Women's health
Gym etiquette
Summer bodies are made in winter

I was once recommended a book by someone that fundamentally changed everything for me and helped me appreciate the law of attraction. That book was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 📖 ✨. As we embark on a new year 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣ it’s a book that I view as compulsory reading for anyone with ambitious (and scary 😟) new year’s resolutions. I want to share useful concepts in the context of common goals set by most people at the start of every year in order to help you achieve them.

Resolution: Get in shape/get a 6 pack/run a marathon/lose weight etc.
Body goals will always make a resolutions list.
Alchemy fix: Visualize it before you achieve it. See your body as the final product that you want it to be. Thoughts become things and the world will conspire to make it happen. Additionally, you must strive to be consistent with your training sessions. If any excuses you have wouldn’t be acceptable for missing work👨🏾‍💻 they shouldn’t be acceptable for missing training sessions🏃🏿‍♂️. Use fitness trackers to keep you honest and accountable. Supporting quote 1 - "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
Supporting quote 2 - “People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”

Resolution: Live life to the fullest
Alchemy fix: You need to do more of what makes you happy and less of what others expect of you. Do not be a conformist if it means betraying yourself. Be authentic to you, live for you and 'remind yourself that nobody's built like you; you design yourself'. Supporting quote - "Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own."

Resolution: Get organized and elevate
Alchemy fix: the key to getting organized and the subsequent elevation it attracts is knowing what you want and finding the courage to go after it. We all have varying goals and ambitions ranging from completing a degree (or passing ZIALE), getting promoted, starting a business etc. What separates achievers from dreamers is taking action and believing it can be done. Supporting quote - "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve, the fear of failure." Supporting quote 2 - "It is this, that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie."
Supporting quote 3 - “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”

Resolution: Give up drinking/quit smoking/other bad habits
Alchemy fix: You know what you want so consider how drinking and smoking figures in your plans. The instant gratification these substances provide delay progression. Clean up and go at life sober minded one day at a time 👉🏾 'I will not smoke or drink today.' Repeat this action every day until abstinence is no longer a conscious decision. As for other less than useful habits know that if it’s not helping you then it’s hurting you. Your quality of life is oftentimes a direct result of the habits you kick and retain.
Supporting quote - “When you can't go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.”

Resolution: Find Happiness
Alchemy fix: The key to enjoying life does not lie in making major life changes, but in actively enjoying your life as it is. Meditate 🧘🏾‍♂️ more as it will help you become more present and adapt you to pay attention to very subtle things. The little joys in life are what consolidate to provide sustained contentment. Adopt an attitude of gratitude to help with positive realignment, increased optimism and emotional balance. You can journal and list out things you're grateful for or pray just to say thank you every so often. Happiness is a deliberate decision that you need to make every day because ‘even on your worst day you live like somebody on their greatest’.
Supporting quote 1 -"When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises."
Supporting quote 2 - Because I don’t live in the past or the future. I’m only interested in the present. If you can concentrate on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living right now.
Supporting quote 3 - “Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.”

Bonus resolution: Spend less time on social media
Alchemy fix: You can replace this habit with spending more time on Roadrunner Zambia 😁.

In summary, alchemy is about penetrating the soul of the world and discovering the treasure that has been reserved for you. When we strive to be better, everything around us becomes better, too.

Key quotes/interactions and interpretations from the book

• “To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation.” Find your mission on your earth and live a purpose driven life.
• “People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” As far as I’m concerned dreams are God’s proof to you that whatever you want, it’s yours already. Consider them prophecies.
  
• “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” Maybe some things aren’t meant to come to fruition no matter how hard one tries. But isn’t that what makes it all the more interesting and worth trying for; the possibility that it can come true?
  
• “Why do we have to listen to our hearts?” the boy asked. “Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you will find your treasure.” The truth is that your dreams will never die. If you aren't doing what you truly want to do in life, you will always hear that voice in the back of your head telling you what would make you truly happy. That voice is your heart, you should listen to it.
  
• “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” A reminder to keep pushing forward no matter what adversities we face. Because at the end of the day, we only miss the shots we don’t take. So keep dreaming and keep trying until your goals become a reality.

Supplementary reading:
2020 Finish line
2021 Dream Work Pray
Happiness Ni We Mwine
Kaja Ka Voice