Beyond the Rut: Create a Life Worth Living in Your Faith, Family, Career

Morning Fitness Routines and Personal Quiet Time – BtR 146

There are two things most important to Brandon and Jerry in their daily morning routines, their quiet time alone with God and their fitness routines.Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

Brandon’s 5 a.m. Daily Morning Routine – BtR 145

Same Time Different Daily Morning RoutineIt turns out that Jerry is not the only one on the Beyond the Rut team with a 5 a.m. daily morning routine! Similar to Jerry, Brandon finds time for prayer, journaling, and personal growth every morning starting at 5 a.m.Unlike Jerry, Brandon conducts a lot of his quiet time while running or working out in the morning. You'll have to listen to this episode to see how he pulls that off and how waking up early benefits Brandon by having a consistent 5 a.m. daily morning routine.Maybe you're looking for a healthy morning routine, or wanting a good morning routine before work. Maybe you want both! This is the episode for you. Take a listen, because Brandon and Jerry will share some of what they do in the morning for fitness, spiritual and emotional self-care, fit in personal growth, and how they prepare themselves for the work day.Episode HighlightsPreparing for bed for a good night's restSetting things in place for 5 a.m.The process of self-developmentShowing up for workJerry's 3-month update for a 5 a.m. morning routineWhy the morning for us? Why not an afternoon or evening routine?After reading these show notes and listening to our episode, you may still be wondering what is the best morning routine for you? The bottom line is that all depends on you. The best morning routine for you will be the one that helps you achieve what you want in life that you will pull off consistently every day. It is what you do plus consistency that shapes your life.Comment below. What will, or does, your daily morning routine look like?Resources and LinksLooking for daily routine examples? Check out the resources below.The Miracle Morning by Hal ElrodBtR 137 - How to Find that Extra Time for Your Own Miracle MorningRead - The Morning Routine That Gives You the Advantage to Succeed for the DayRead - The Best Morning Routine (Backed by Science) written by Taylor PearsonRead - The Morning Routines of the Most Successful People by Fast CompanyBtR 060 - What Works? ItWorks! Brandon's Weight Loss JourneyBrandon mentioned "the greens" a number of times in this episode. Learn more about this dietary supplement he has been using since 2016. See the before and after photos as well by going to episode 60 linked above. Brandon's ItWorks! site.Connect with UsSubscribe on iTunes or Stitcher and never miss an episodeTwitter @beyondtherutFacebook Beyond the RutEmail info@beyondtherut.comCall 361-596-3788 and leave us a voicemail.Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

How to Begin a Journal Writing Habit for Your Success – BtR 144

History is filled with men and women who kept a journal for a variety of reasons. Brandon and Jerry discuss how to begin a journal as part of your journey to success.What is Journaling?Journaling is essentially a process of capturing your thoughts down into written form. Some people who keep a journal do so to keep a record of their daily activities. Others use it as a means of writing out their feelings. There is no set way one must keep a journal, but we will share with you why you should, how to begin a journal, and provide some personal journal ideas.Benefits of Journal WritingWhether you are on the fence about starting a habit of journaling, or just curious for more ideas, here is a list of benefits that come from journaling.It helps you get your raw thoughts onto paper.Our minds work at a rapid pace, and life goes just as quickly it seems. When you take time to pause and write out your thoughts in the moment, you are capturing those thoughts for later reflection.You gain an outside perspective for something that was inside your head.If you ever told a joke that sounded funny when it was inside your head only to realize how bad of a joke it really was once you spoke it out loud, journaling is kind of like that.The difference is that the pendulum swings both ways. Bad ideas are recognized right away. Good ideas can be further massaged into viable ideas or products.Journaling helps facilitate reflection when you read older entries.A good journal is one you can go back to and reflect on thoughts, ideas, and seasons of your life that have passed. It may encourage you to pick up on a project that had been set aside. You may be reminded to re-establish a routine that was helpful to you in the past.A journal helps you measure how far you have progressed in life.Jerry has journal entries and blog posts from a rough financial season in his life. Reading through those entries lets him see how far he has come since that time. His appreciation for his blessings goes up after reading them. It’s probably why you se him so happy these days. He is able to celebrate his wins. Life is good.How to begin a journal writing habit that works for you.You can brainstorm ideas that help you plan for the future.A journal is a great place to plan for the future. You can envision where you want your business or career to be in five to ten years. Keeping a journal can even help you plan for that ideal vacation! Let it be a creative outlet for you where you create the future you desire in its pages.Your life’s lessons add up over time to become your first book.Write in a journal long enough and you’ll find that you have enough material to begin piecing together a book for publishing. We have friends who have written a lot of great content in their journals. They have shared some of those entries with us, so we know.The question we often ask after reading something they finally shared iGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

Finding Balance and Other Insights from a Hiatus – BtR 143

Finding BalanceFindingbalance is something many ofus strive to achieve in our busy, stress-filled lives. Brandon and I cannot saydefinitely that we have created or found balanced lives. We can share that finding your balancemeans recognizing there are times when you need to take a step back, then thereare times to be all-in pursuing your goals and dreams. Importance of a Balanced LifeBrandon took a hiatus from Beyond the Rut anda few other activities in his life during the summer of 2018. Life’s activitieswere pulling him in multiple directions at the same time. This episode ofBeyond the Rut podcast shares with you how you can find balance in life by sharing insights hegained during his time off.Without finding balance among work and life, your productivitydrops. Your impact drops whether that is at the office or at home with your lovedones. If you have ever found yourself overwhelmed with life events while at theoffice, you need to find some balance in life. If you find yourself checking your work emailwhile you are attending your children’s school events, you need to find some balance in life.What is a Work Life Balance?There is a growing acceptance that there is no such thing as finding balance. Life is chaotic and you just have to hold on for the ride in a sense.When you dig deeper into that belief, you findthat it comes from (1) accepting that life is chaotic and demanding and (2) youhave to decide what is most important to you in that moment and put your focusthere. Isn’t that the same thing as “finding balance?”We seem to think that finding balance is about finding some kind of zen-like,relaxed state where nothing bothers you. That is not how we would describe it atall.Elements of a Balanced LifeWork takes up about a third of our days. Atrade is made for that time and our work in exchange for a paycheck that isthen used for those five areas mentioned above. The problem with finding balance is that we often let work take over our lives. There are the 8 hours we often exchange Monday through Friday. On top of that, we commit to at least 5 hours each week to a commute for that job assuming a 30-minute commute time each way. If you’ve worked through your 1-hour lunch break regular, there is another 5 hours a week. Consider the time spent preparing your clothes for work whether you do the laundry yourself, or use a dry cleaner.At Beyond the Rut, we believe there aremultiple of circles that are important to your life. We list the Big Five asthe following:Faith – your spirituallifeFitness – taking careof yourself physically and emotionallyFamily – your mostimportant relationshipsFinances – your meansto take care of those most important to you and to do what is most important toyou.Furthering yourpersonal and professional development – this is basically the work you do andwe really wanted that alliteration to happen.Work is important. It’s how we create the incGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

Life at 40 and Fired Up from World Domination Summit Sara McDaniel – BtR 142

Sara McDaniel (not Sarah McDaniel) returns to Beyond the Rut for a third time to share with us insights on life at 40, how the World Domination Summit is changing the world, and her discovery while renovating a Southern cottage.Life at 40As a woman turning 40, Sara shares the impact of written goals for one’s life, and her 40-at-40 list. Her plan was to accomplish 40 things at the age of 40 years old. Unfortunately, plans have been delayed due to complications shared in this episode. The key thing to remember is that those plans are delayed, and not halted altogether.Men turning 40 need to know that life is not coming to an end for you. Life is short, and tomorrow is not guaranteed, but life is not over. The good news is if you woke up this morning, you have another day to make a good life for yourself. What are those things you want to accomplish, enjoy, and appreciate without compromising what you stand for? Check out episode 149 where we interviewed Pastor Oscar Banks on how to be authentic as a man in today’s society.Bottom line is your life begins at 40! Think about it. You’ve spent the first 40 years of life learning, growing, and planting various kinds of seeds. You now get to reap the harvest from those investments over time while making more investments into yourself and your world.Life Begins at 40 Quotes "Life really does begin at forty. Up until then, you are just doing research." - Carl G. Jung "Life begins at 40, and I'm living proof." - Mariska Hargitay "The best part of being over 40 is we did our stupid stuff before the Internet." - Unknown life begins at 40 funny quotes New 35 Famous Positive Quotes About Life Wisdom And Success By Famous PeopleBONUS: Things to do in Your 40sIf you’re looking for fun things to do in your 40s, here are some ideas that came out of Sara’s lips during our talk with her. Jerry hopes to tag along for the third thing on this list.Go on a mission tripSkydivingHike the Rim-to-Rim TrailRenovate a homeTake a hot air balloon rideWorld Domination SummitSara McDaniel takes time in this episode to also share with us how the World Domination Summit hosted by author and entrepreneur Chris Guillebeau has impacted her life. In past episodes, she has shared how she found inspiration and courage to take multiple mission trips to Guatemala. The 2017 event took a different tack and exposed her to an Iraqi refugee family who shared their home and lives with her.We discussed why keeping a curious mindset helps us live a full and enriched life. Sara also shared with us her excitement for WDS 2018, which is scheduled for the summer of 2018.Simply Southern CottageNothing was more interesting to us than to hear Sara’s story about discovering the diary of Belle Howard Mayfield tucked away under one of the floorboards of her Southern cottage. We intended to talk about her life transformation and the symbolism the Southern cottage renovatGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

Solo Hiking – Lessons Learned from My First Solo Backpacking Trip (a Rebroadcast) – BtR 141

Solo Hikingby Jerry Every quest has a season where it feels like you are going it alone. That is synonymous with my first solo hiking trip taken last summer. Texas heat scorches during the Summer. We joke about it being a dry heat, but I really don't know why that matters. It's still friggin' hot! With those hot temperatures also came a flurry of you-shouldn't-go comments from friends and family. I heard it all.It's too hot.You don't know what kind of animals are out there.What if you get hurt?What if it gets cold?Similar to what Eric Giuliani encountered before he traveled around the world for three years without using air transportation, I knew that I was not receiving rational advice. These were the fears they held onto. They were doing their best to pass them on to me. I guess if I somehow caved into their fear, the comfort zones stayed intact. If I went on this trip, even though it was an overnight shakedown trip to test out some gear, it meant I was willing to overcome their fears and who am I to do that?Don't Worry About Everyone Else's FearsWhen serving others, especially in healthcare or sales, yes, you want to worry about the fear others have and help them navigate through that fear. When it comes to making your own path and pursuing your dreams, don't worry about the fears others have. Simply worry about overcoming your own through educating yourself, good planning, then taking that first step to try it out.If something goes wrong, take failure as a lesson learned and not a reason to never try again.Links and ResourcesBtR 067 – Eric Giuliani is Traveling Tall and Living His DreamBtR 132 - Regret-Proof Your Life and Reduce Busy-ness with Suzy RosensteinConnect with UsEmail: info@beyondtherut.comVoicemail: 361-596-3788Twitter: Twitter.com/beyondtherutFacebook: Beyond the RutGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

How to Battle Your Fear of Missing Out – BtR 140

A fear of missing out may be one of the underlying issues that make you feel like your life is in a rut. It can also be refined into fuel that drives you to live out your God-given dreams. This article will discuss that feeling and what can be done to overcome it.FOMO Fear of Missing OutFear of being averageIt was the day after Christmas in 2005 when it hit me. I had just spent the entire year paying off all my credit card debt, and it felt great! The problem was that it was now the day after Christmas and all that credit card debt was back. We just had to give our children the best holiday experience ever, right?My kids played with their new toys that morning. My wife was happy they were happy. All I could think about was spending another year paying off that debt, scrimping and scraping together a living for them. There was so much we could not do because of that in the previous year.It was said at that time that about 93% of Americans had one or more credit cards with an average debt of around $5,000 on those credit cards. It may have been higher. I was the average American. I had a mortgage, a car payment, and extra credit card debts. It felt like a crushing weight on my shoulders.On top of that, I was turning 30 in a couple of months and thought long and hard about where my life was going. My outlook on life was that I had to trade my freedom to pay off a recurring debt I didn’t need.A fear of missing out was creeping into my life. I didn’t want to be average. I didn’t want to lose my freedom to travel, find new experiences and meet new people. I would go from war veteran to unnamed, unknown office worker. I was about to shut the door on life in a sense.For my wife, she was driven by a different fear of mediocrity. Average for her meant our children not having anything they wanted. It meant depriving our family of things. Little did she know at the time that she was getting caught up in a game of “Keeping Up with the Joneses.”The comparison of our lives to the lives of others is a great way to insert misery and contempt into your life. It’s best not to play that game at all.The Result of FOMO MarketingThe marketing industry is a powerful one. Almost a quarter of a trillion dollars is spent annually in the United States to drive a machine designed to capture your attention and convince you that you desperately need their products or services.In those expenditures, there is a lot learned about human motivations. The industry has identified our deepest fears and needs. The biggest ones being aging, losing freedom, losing power. You buy their products and you’ll have youth, freedom, happiness, and power.Even our fear of missing out in relationships gets tapped into. I’m thinking about commercials for shaving products. Can’t get a close shave, so no one will want you. Buy our product, you can have a close shave and a beautiful woman will want to touch your facGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

How the Happiness Advantage Can Change Your World (Part 2) – BtR 139

Happiness to Pursue SuccessWe often chase success to become happy. If that were true, then we would be happy in our new car, large homes, and corporate jobs with the great salaries and perks. The truth is that it is not these status symbols that make us happy. If anything, we find ourselves trapped and unhappy trying to look successful.Consider the possibility that being truly happy and seeing the world filled with opportunity is what will turn you into a success magnet. Happy doctors make accurate diagnoses two times faster than those who were in a neutral state. The difference maker? Candy. Optimistic salespeople outsell their negative- and neutral-minded counterparts by an average of 56%. Positive social interactions are known to increase oxytocin in your body, which reduces anxiety, increases flow in your cardiovascular, immune and neuroendocrine systems - you're healthier and happier.7 Principles Discussed The Happiness Advantage Change Your Performance by Changing Your Mindset The Tetris Effect Falling Up - How to see failure The Zorro Circle - Search inward for small focus and master control incrementally The 20-Second Rule for Building Positive Habits and Removing Negative Ones Social InvestmentResources and LinksBtR 133 – If You Are Too Busy to Listen to This Episode, You Need This Episode!BtR 138 - How the Happiness Advantage Can Change Your World (Part 1)Buy the Book – The Happiness Advantage by Shawn AchorConnect with UsEmail: info@beyondtherut.comVoicemail: 361-596-3788Twitter: Twitter.com/beyondtherutFacebook: Beyond the RutGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

How the Happiness Advantage Can Change Your World (Part 1) – BtR 138

The Happiness AdvantageAt best, it can be said that only 45% of the workforce enjoys their job. That means the majority of us wake up in the morning and dread the commute that puts us in a prison. That is no way to truly live, is it?If we say in the U.S. Constitution that every person has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, it makes no sense that we go about the pursuit of happiness all wrong.Happiness is not achieved through milestones, a certain salary, a certain career, or any other external factor to ourselves. Happiness is actually achieved when we create that mindset in us first, and then we see the benefits in our careers, finances, family, and so on.Shawn Achor is known for his work in the field of positive psychology. In this episode, we will explore how having a positive mindset and creating happiness for ourselves first is what changes our world. First, we take a look at a part of Jerry's life that you may not have known after all this time. It's not really a story shared with many until now.Resources and LinksBtR 133 – If You Are Too Busy to Listen to This Episode, You Need This Episode!Buy the Book – The Happiness Advantage by Shawn AchorConnect with UsEmail: info@beyondtherut.comVoicemail: 361-596-3788Twitter: Twitter.com/beyondtherutFacebook: Beyond the RutGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show

How to Find that Extra Time for Your Own Miracle Morning – BtR 137

Miracle Morning? What is that?by JerryI have wanted to conduct a series of activities every morning that I knew would be good for my mind, my body and my soul. The problem is that I never really committed to a time or structure. As a result, my life followed the same pattern that many other people follow. I wake up with enough time to get ready for work and then go to work. While I am happy to be alive, my mindset and my outset never showed it.At the suggestion of Jeff Bezos, okay Amazon.com, I got a copy of The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod and found the routine and process I needed.  I'm someone who enjoys a good life hack now and then and discovering this simple and not-so-obvious set of life hacks had me excited.It has been five weeks for me at the time of this episodes recording, July 1, 2018. My normal wake up time used to be 7 am, and it is now 5 am. I used to hit my snooze button from 6 am until 7 am, then scramble to get ready for work. Today, I hop out of bed, turn off my alarm right away and start my daily routine.My daily routine has brought me peace of mind instead of the fatigue and loss of productivity others had predicted for me. Being able to read my Bible, journal and spend time in prayer every morning consistently has actually prepared me to tackle just about any challenge that is thrown my way with a healthy perspective.Resources and LinksBtR 133 - If You Are Too Busy to Listen to This Episode, You Need This Episode!Buy the Book – The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret to Guaranteed to Transform Your Life Before 8 am by Hal ElrodBuy the Book - The Happiness Advantage by Shawn AchorConnect with UsEmail: info@beyondtherut.comVoicemail: 361-596-3788Twitter: Twitter.com/beyondtherutFacebook: Beyond the RutGo to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself.Support the showMusic Hopeful Camping Folk | Camping by Alex-Productions | https://youtu.be/aUHdSwhiNVU Music promoted by https://onsound.eu/ Go to BeyondTheRut.com/capsho for your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Click on BeyondTheRut.com/capsho to claim your free 14-day trial and see for yourself. Support the show