Throughout our lives, we are surrounded by people who tell us that we are not good enough, that we can’t do it, that we’re not talented enough. And somewhere, along the line, we start to believe them, and begin to embrace being average. We forget our childhood dreams. We forget all about astronauts, unknown lands, miraculous discoveries, impossible accomplishments. We forget that boys and girls can dream the same dreams and have the same goals. It’s so much easier, isn’t? To play the standard role. But, from time to time, there is someone who reminds us that we all should strive for greatness. One of those people is 9-year old Milla Bizzotto.

Hey guys! I am so honored to be featured as one of the "Extreme Kids" on NBC's Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist this Sunday, Aug 7th, 8am EST! Hope you guys can tune in! #ocrtraining #iamtheantibully #fma #extremekids #kidswithamessage #kidswithdetermination #kidswhoinspire #inspirationfortheipadgeneration #keepinspiring

A post shared by Milla Star (@millastarfma) on Aug 4, 2016 at 10:53am PDT

Little Milla, who weighs 24 kilograms, has finished the 24-hour Battlefrog challenge – a U.S Navy-designed obstacle course. She became the youngest competitor in the Battlefrog race and to prepare, she had to train for 9 months, 5 days a week for 3 hours a day. She decided the only hero she needed was herself. . Like every strong protagonist, she has had to deal with adversity which has motivated her to rise to greatness. Milla was a victim of bullying in school and decided to become empowered through physical fitness.

Stretching anywhere!!! #InspirationForTheIpadGeneration #Spartan #race #run #running #ocr #workout #training #spartanrace #abs #fit #fitgirls #kids #fitkids #beast #beastmode #gym #gymlife #gymrat #gymmotivation #dedication #headstand #workhard #fitFAM #FMA #igfitness #igmiami #fitlife #lifestyle #love #workhard

A photo posted by Milla Star (@millastarfma) on Jan 12, 2016 at 3:32pm PST

Coach Christian Bizotto, from South Florida,who runs a gym, began training with Milla and her father,  and says she wishes to lead a positive movement that will inspire the ‘ipad generation.’

I think the bullying thing has died down without her having to take physical action just because her outlook is so much different now that she knows how to defend herself, her father said.

Working on our handstand push-ups ??? #ifatfirstyoudontsucceed #dontgiveup #inspirationfortheipadgeneration #teamantibully #iamtheantibully

A photo posted by Milla Star (@millastarfma) on Jun 3, 2016 at 2:10pm PDT

I don’t want to play video games. I don’t want to Hoverboard. I don’t want to do things to make life easier. I want to be comfortable being uncomfortable. I have one body and it’s all I want and all I love, she recently told the Miami Herald

This little girl also finished the Spartan race last year with her grandma and her father crossing the finishing line together holding hands. Milla told CBS Miami Local:

I don’t want people to quit because they don’t believe in themselves because someone else says that they can believe in themselves.

Once I heard someone say how adversity causes some to break, others to break records. Learning to deal with and overcome adversity is what builds character and resilience. Bad things will happen, it’s inevitable. And when they do happen we are presented with a choice – to crumble down or rise above and become a stronger and wiser.

Are you going to be the hero of your story or are you just waiting to be saved?

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For spectators in the 1960s, Rod Laver’s strokes on the tennis court were a thing of beauty to behold. The stroke he had while being interviewed by ESPN in 1998 was not.

When Laver lost control of his thoughts, collapsed and vomited mid-sentence, the interviewer understood what was happening inside Laver’s brain, and immediately called for an ambulance.

As soon as Laver was able to speak in his Los Angeles intensive care unit, he told his doctor, “I used to be a fairly good tennis player.” His right side paralysed, his speech mostly nonsensical and his brain still bleeding, the only man who ever won the Grand Slam twice was told his days of playing for enjoyment were finished for good.

Yet on 8 January 2014 he strode out onto Rod Laver Arena dressed to vie with his prime rival for the title of greatest of all time; albeit in old-style tennis clothes that paled against the vibrant colours of his opponent’s Nike gear. When a man who has suffered a stroke can get back out on the tennis court, he knows he has recovered well. But when he gets back out on a tennis court named after him, in a sold-out stadium with additional hundreds of thousands watching live on TV, and sees Roger Federer at the other end of the court, he must know he is the “Rocket” Rod Laver.

Laver’s cracking left hander was travelling better than his once-useless right side on this $1m fundraising “Night with Roger Federer and Friends”; though not much better, thanks to his arthritic left wrist. But every time he made contact with the ball, the crowd cheered a little louder. It did not matter where the ball went.

Laver, Pat Rafter said in 1998, was “the last person you’d expect to have a stroke”. It would have been unthinkable at the apex of Laver’s career that he would ever boast in his diary, as the crowning achievement of a 24 hour period, “I walked today”. But if Laver was once tennis’ greatest role model for youth, he now seemed intent on using his experience of mind-numbingly slow rehabilitation to become the equivalent role model for senior citizens. He taught us an important lesson – [tweet_quote]You’re never too old to inspire.[/tweet_quote]

Following the years of tongue-tied aphasia, in 2014, Laver spoke up as a supporter of the Roger Federer Foundation, as the Global Ambassador for the Australian Open, and as the face of Medibank’s #generationbetter. He urged elderly Australians to get out of the house and have a go; whatever their sport, whatever their age, whatever their health.

Standing between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Federer on 8 January 2014, Laver looked markedly less imposing than he did as the redhaired lefty from outback Queensland. For once, it was neither Laver’s athleticism, nor his dominance, that the crowd was applauding, because both had faded; however, his courage in flying back to Australia to publicly hit up with one of the world’s best, given the circumstances – in his post-stroke 70s, just a year after the death of his wife.

Why would a former star choose to put his waning skills under the bright lights of Rod Laver Arena? To show that he now stands for something more than just ‘former star’ – survivor, conqueror of adversity, and elder statesman of tennis.

The post Rod Laver’s Message to the World appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.

Every day I take my puppy, Pekingese Soukie for a walk. Soukie leads a dreamy life; my boyfriend and I are simply crazy about her so she gets our full attention. I bath Soukie regularly so she always smells nice, and there are also these tiny fancy jackets, fur coats, shoes, dresses and all kinds of dog necklaces that she wears. In her case, the phrase “dog’s life” translates to a fabulous way of living.

Walking through the Neimarski park, we usually run into a stray dog. He’s skinny and looks at us with his big, sad eyes, as if begging for some love and attention. As we approach him closer, he first sniffs Soukie and then licks my hand. I wonder what he might be thinking as he sees dozens of people with their dogs passing by. What is it like when you belong to no one? When you have nobody to take care of you… Not having a place to live, always waiting for a stranger to give you some food.

I quickly go to a nearby store to buy some nice smelling bologna. We come back to our buddy. Suddendly, he looks so happy! I’m happy too for making his life easier at least for a moment. In the same time my heart is broken in half as I see him eating 400 gr of bologna in a second. Is the food all I can give him?

I’ve always wanted to help animals. I decided to use my knowledge of social networks and current online trends to do something for stray dogs that I like very much. I created the Facebook page FeedTheDog  and came up with the hashtag #FeedTheDog, as well as  with the idea for Instagram campaign. I said to myself “If Soukie and I can help the stray dog – everybody can do it!”. I was sure that there were others who share the same compassion for stray dogs and their needs.

For most people in Serbia, the standard of living is very low. Only a few can donate money to campaigns and charities. However, I believe that each of us can take leftovers of our breakfast, lunch or dinner, that usually end up as garbage and give them to a starving dog. Although the campaign is generally focused on dogs, our goal is to promote generosity not only towards stray dogs, towards all the animals in need.

The number of people of good will who feed hungry dogs on streets is growing. They are using social networks to mobilize other people to do the same thing. They are sending us photos and we are happy to publish them and share with our followers on the Facebook. In that way, other people can see them and understand that they too can help. “Hey, I can do that too!”. Our activists keep sending us their stories on a daily basis. Many of them make me tear up. There is no way to remain indifferent to them.

The people who help abandoned animals are true heroes of our time. Many give up half or whole of their meal when they see hungry eyes on the street. There those who always have some dog food  in the trunk of their cars or in a bag. #FeedTheDog action is a great success, and it made me believe that there are still good and noble people, everywhere.

Apart from feeding the animals, the aim of our campaign is to help stray dogs with deteriortaing health condition. For example, two months ago there was a girl who picked up a dog with a broken spine off the street and took him to the vet. She was told that the dog should be put to sleep to prevent the pain and further suffering . However, the girl refused to follow vet’s advice. She brought the dog home, named it Balu and asked #FeedTheDog for help. It took us a month to raise funds for Balu’s wheelchairs, medications and other necessities. The most fascinating thing is that Balu, in addition to Andrea’s love and affection, started to walk without wheelchairs.

The feeling that you’ve helped a helpless creature is priceless. #FeedTheDog is the campaign that makes you happy. You go to school in the morning, and it’s cloudy outside. Then you run into a little furry friend. You give it something to eat. It wags its tail – and all of a sudden there are no more clouds and it’s sunny again! Right?

Watch this  video. You will love it.

Photo credits:

Featured Photo:  Author:  rollanb  /  photo on flickr
Photo 2.  Author:  DiscoMurray  /  photo on flickr
Photo 3. London Calling by  Thomas Leuthard

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