We cannot stand by idly
while you lie so easily
talking about equality
when nothing about your actions are equal.
Cause when an out of the ordinary tragedy
becomes a way too ordinary type catastrophe
how can you seriously look at me
and say "but it isn't that bad"?
We'll placate no more
cause it's our lives we are fighting for
and we've come to the point where we can't
afford to stay quiet anymore.
Another tragedy leaves room for no more concessions
no more generic answers to our specific questions.
No more hypothetical solutions to our very definite problems
cause only truth will help to solve them.
No more "maybes" and "what ifs"
cause we are all tired of the bullshit
and though you hurt us we won't shatter
because we know we matter.
I cannot bear witness silently
while you lie so easily
talking about us being free
while these "out of the ordinary" tragedies
grow in frequency
all the while you saying to me
"but it isn't that bad."
...Isn't it?
M.
www.MarkSparks.comwww.MarkSparksWrites.com
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
It's Not Okay...
It's Not Okay...
In advance I thank you for reading & ask that you please share. this post.
Over the last little while I've been talking to women about their day to day dating experiences and being approached by men and some startling things continued to come to light.
Many of the women I've spoken to can recount stories of men approaching them and them turning down the offer - pretty normal interaction. Where it got concerning was the amount of times that women shared that men would not take "no" as an answer.
Ladies shared stories of having to walk faster and further than they were going to lose a tailing man or having to find safety by entering a store to wait out a man who was following them "just to talk."
They shared stories of being called "bitch" and other names because they didn't want to give a man their number or continue that interaction.
It's not okay.
I don't know what is more concerning about this behaviour: frequency in which it happens or the fact that many times the man in question is not alone and his 'friends' say nothing about his abhorrent behaviour.
It's not okay.
We as men must become more vigilant about this behaviour, about not participating in this repulsive bullishness and about calling other men around us to a higher standard when we see them doing so, I mean our Sisters, Mothers, Aunts, Cousins, Daughters, Girlfriends and Wives deserve at least that from us right? RIght.
Men, as the weather warms up and the layers begin to come off, let's not be afraid to interact with women but let's create a new standard in expressing appreciation and attraction with respect, sensitivity and kindness remembering that harassment is simply not okay.
Again, thank you for reading this post.
M.
To read other posts click here.
www.MarkSparksWrites.com
In advance I thank you for reading & ask that you please share. this post.
Over the last little while I've been talking to women about their day to day dating experiences and being approached by men and some startling things continued to come to light.
Many of the women I've spoken to can recount stories of men approaching them and them turning down the offer - pretty normal interaction. Where it got concerning was the amount of times that women shared that men would not take "no" as an answer.
Ladies shared stories of having to walk faster and further than they were going to lose a tailing man or having to find safety by entering a store to wait out a man who was following them "just to talk."
They shared stories of being called "bitch" and other names because they didn't want to give a man their number or continue that interaction.
It's not okay.
I don't know what is more concerning about this behaviour: frequency in which it happens or the fact that many times the man in question is not alone and his 'friends' say nothing about his abhorrent behaviour.
It's not okay.
We as men must become more vigilant about this behaviour, about not participating in this repulsive bullishness and about calling other men around us to a higher standard when we see them doing so, I mean our Sisters, Mothers, Aunts, Cousins, Daughters, Girlfriends and Wives deserve at least that from us right? RIght.
Men, as the weather warms up and the layers begin to come off, let's not be afraid to interact with women but let's create a new standard in expressing appreciation and attraction with respect, sensitivity and kindness remembering that harassment is simply not okay.
Again, thank you for reading this post.
M.
To read other posts click here.
www.MarkSparksWrites.com
Friday, February 26, 2016
Active Doesn't Make Us Productive. Purpose Does.
Activity and productivity are not the same thing. For example, many folks have gym memberships and go to the gym on a regular basis - activity - but few people actually make the progress they desire from their workouts.
What separates the two people? Purpose. With a definite purpose we can focus our energy on the things that move us towards that purpose while ridding ourselves of the superfluous, which steal away our time and energy while providing little or no progress.
What is your purpose? Again, let's use the gym example - why do you go to the gym? When coming up with this answer be specific, think big and ahve a reason why this purpose is important to you. If there is no excitement from the thought of working towards and achieving your purpose, you will be hard pressed to find the passion needed to fulfill it.
This weekend, challenge yourself to spend some time thinking about and writing down your purpose - for your workouts, your business, your relationships, you life! After all, what good is to be busy working towards nothing?
Find purpose, be productive.
Happy Friday Y'all,
Mark Sparks
www.MarkSparks.com
What separates the two people? Purpose. With a definite purpose we can focus our energy on the things that move us towards that purpose while ridding ourselves of the superfluous, which steal away our time and energy while providing little or no progress.
What is your purpose? Again, let's use the gym example - why do you go to the gym? When coming up with this answer be specific, think big and ahve a reason why this purpose is important to you. If there is no excitement from the thought of working towards and achieving your purpose, you will be hard pressed to find the passion needed to fulfill it.
This weekend, challenge yourself to spend some time thinking about and writing down your purpose - for your workouts, your business, your relationships, you life! After all, what good is to be busy working towards nothing?
Find purpose, be productive.
Happy Friday Y'all,
Mark Sparks
www.MarkSparks.com
Find me on instagram @marksparkswrites or @sparksconditioning for fitness tips, information & motivation.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Self Love And It's Conditional Rationing.
Working out works best when our fuel is self love, not self hate.
If you haven't watched the Ronda Rousey interview on The Ellen Show, here is a link to a quick clip and a great reminder for us all (click here), thanks Ms. Rousey.
Have you ever found yourself, during the highs of celebrating a goal reached, feeling great about who you are? Have you found yourself, during the lows that come with defeat or loss, feeling like you are nothing? That's the danger of accomplishment based conditional love - it never lasts. And, I'd dare to say that it isn't even real.
It is so very dangerous for us to become our accomplishments.
We are not the sum of the things we achieve but of what we habitually do, particularly when no one is watching.We all lose at some point but being a loser is something entirely different than losing. Losing is inevitable but being a loser is a choice.
Find me on instagram @marksparkswrites or @sparksconditioning for fitness tips, information & motivation.
If you haven't watched the Ronda Rousey interview on The Ellen Show, here is a link to a quick clip and a great reminder for us all (click here), thanks Ms. Rousey.
Have you ever found yourself, during the highs of celebrating a goal reached, feeling great about who you are? Have you found yourself, during the lows that come with defeat or loss, feeling like you are nothing? That's the danger of accomplishment based conditional love - it never lasts. And, I'd dare to say that it isn't even real.
It is so very dangerous for us to become our accomplishments.
Too often we, myself so very included, judge ourselves on our results rather than our character. "Do I have a sixpack yet?" "Did I land that movie role yet?" "Have I reached my goal weight?" We say we are "good enough" when we achieve something and "we suck" when we don't.
The problem with accolade based self love is that when it comes, it is temporary and it can never be sustained. Too often I have people write me or approach me for coaching and physical training because they hate their bodies and think that changing their shape will make them love themselves. It never does.
We must find a purpose, passion and love that cannot be affected by external factors we don't control.
Do your best. Give your all. But most importantly, love who you are as you work towards whatever goal you have.
We must find a purpose, passion and love that cannot be affected by external factors we don't control.
Do your best. Give your all. But most importantly, love who you are as you work towards whatever goal you have.
M.
Find me on instagram @marksparkswrites or @sparksconditioning for fitness tips, information & motivation.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Be Kind - to Others and to Yourself.
As we grow up we're taught to be kind to others yet the emphasis to be kind to ourselves is rarely made.
We call ourselves names, we hold ourselves to impossible deadlines, we don't cheer for ourselves or believe in ourselves, we are not honest with ourselves and sometimes we even tell ourselves we are stupid for going after our biggest dreams. Is it any wonder that we fail time and time again? Or worse become too scared to take any steps in a new forward direction towards what we desire and deserve?
This week, I urge you to treat yourself as you would someone you deeply care about. This isn't a call to be dishonest to you about you but rather to look at yourself through honest eyes and recognize the miracle that you are and all the amazing things that you, with faith and habitual work, are capable of achieving.
Learn to like yourself en route to learning to love yourself all over again.
How? Well that's up to you, but find many ways to show yourself.
Be kind to others, but remember to also be kind to yourself.
Happy Monday Y'all!
M.
www.MarkSparks.com
Find me on instagram @marksparkswrites or @sparksconditioning for fitness tips, information motivation.
We call ourselves names, we hold ourselves to impossible deadlines, we don't cheer for ourselves or believe in ourselves, we are not honest with ourselves and sometimes we even tell ourselves we are stupid for going after our biggest dreams. Is it any wonder that we fail time and time again? Or worse become too scared to take any steps in a new forward direction towards what we desire and deserve?
This week, I urge you to treat yourself as you would someone you deeply care about. This isn't a call to be dishonest to you about you but rather to look at yourself through honest eyes and recognize the miracle that you are and all the amazing things that you, with faith and habitual work, are capable of achieving.
Learn to like yourself en route to learning to love yourself all over again.
How? Well that's up to you, but find many ways to show yourself.
Be kind to others, but remember to also be kind to yourself.
Happy Monday Y'all!
M.
www.MarkSparks.com
Find me on instagram @marksparkswrites or @sparksconditioning for fitness tips, information motivation.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Stop Suffering. Start Getting Results.
"Fear is the path to the dark side.
Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."
-Yoda.
Are you stuck in suffering? The pain that comes from being stuck in failure?
You know, you keep working to change your body, to build the body you desire but
"no matter what exercises or crazy diet you do nothing seems to work,"?
Perhaps it is time to change your thoughts.
Perhaps your problem isn't what you know, or even what you do but what you think.
Maybe you are caught up in suffering because, deep down inside you don't believe that you can change. Maybe you've been overweight or underweight for so long in your life that you believe that you can be nothing else for the rest of your life.
Maybe that fear is holding you hostage and making you angry.
Maybe you really hate they way you feel and they way you look and that just makes you hate the way you feel even more.
Maybe you really hate they way you feel and they way you look and that just makes you hate the way you feel even more.
That is the dark side of life indeed - to be stuck in a cycle where the result of your habits brings more and more of what you don't want.
You can change.
You can transform.
Let me help
mark@sparksconditioning.com
#ItsBiggerThanFitness
#WhatAreYouChasing?
www.SPARKSconditioning.com
You can change.
You can transform.
Let me help
mark@sparksconditioning.com
#ItsBiggerThanFitness
#WhatAreYouChasing?
www.SPARKSconditioning.com
@sparksconditioning on instagram.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Perspective & Thank You (The Birthday Edition).
It has been a little while since my last post. Early October if memory serves me well. First let me say thank you for continuing to read these blog posts, thank you for continuing to subscribe to this blog, to helping me reach over 40 000 readers (wow!) and for following my journey on instagram (@sparksconditioning & @marksparkswrites).
As another year passes and I begin a new chapter in the journey of my life, I am grateful as I look back at all the challenges that have made me stronger and the moments that have made me smile, laugh, cry & grow.
Some people view birthdays with dread, some with delight and others with a sort of indifference. Which of the views do you hold?
For me, birthdays have a great significance though outwardly people around me would think otherwise. From a young age I learned that material gifts, though fun, meant little to me and as I got older their value decreased - partly because I could buy my own "toys" and partly because I valued time and effort so much more. Gifts, to me, became a way that I could share with people that they were on my mind and in my thoughts. I viewed gifts I received in the same way. When people got me something that meant much to me because of moments or stories we had shared, I would love the gift. When it was simply a material possession to own however - though thankful, the gift seemed to hold less value. Perspective.
As I get older I realize that people have different perspectives and that birthdays, and gift giving, is seen in different ways by different people as well. As I get older (yes I am enjoying saying that) I realize that perspective has more to do with joy and peace than most any other variable. How I, we, view things gives them meaning. And that meaning creates in us a feeling. And that feeling creates actions and habits.
So, as another chapter in the book of my life begins, I look forward to viewing the world with a perspective that allows me to find peace, to be productive and to continue to passionately chase my dream.
I hope that whatever perspective you choose as you experience life, enhance your level of joy, peace and self defined success.
Bless,
Mark Sparks
Ps thank you to all of you who sent birthday wishes, letters and notes. I truly appreciate it.
Instagram @sparksconditioning
Instagram @marksparkswrites
www.MarkSparks.com
www.MarkSparksWrites.com
As another year passes and I begin a new chapter in the journey of my life, I am grateful as I look back at all the challenges that have made me stronger and the moments that have made me smile, laugh, cry & grow.
Some people view birthdays with dread, some with delight and others with a sort of indifference. Which of the views do you hold?
For me, birthdays have a great significance though outwardly people around me would think otherwise. From a young age I learned that material gifts, though fun, meant little to me and as I got older their value decreased - partly because I could buy my own "toys" and partly because I valued time and effort so much more. Gifts, to me, became a way that I could share with people that they were on my mind and in my thoughts. I viewed gifts I received in the same way. When people got me something that meant much to me because of moments or stories we had shared, I would love the gift. When it was simply a material possession to own however - though thankful, the gift seemed to hold less value. Perspective.
As I get older I realize that people have different perspectives and that birthdays, and gift giving, is seen in different ways by different people as well. As I get older (yes I am enjoying saying that) I realize that perspective has more to do with joy and peace than most any other variable. How I, we, view things gives them meaning. And that meaning creates in us a feeling. And that feeling creates actions and habits.
So, as another chapter in the book of my life begins, I look forward to viewing the world with a perspective that allows me to find peace, to be productive and to continue to passionately chase my dream.
I hope that whatever perspective you choose as you experience life, enhance your level of joy, peace and self defined success.
Bless,
Mark Sparks
Ps thank you to all of you who sent birthday wishes, letters and notes. I truly appreciate it.
Instagram @sparksconditioning
Instagram @marksparkswrites
www.MarkSparks.com
www.MarkSparksWrites.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)