Archive | October, 2015

Unbelievable

26 Oct

When we make plans with others and decide to meet somewhere, we expect them to show up.  When we work on a project and someone commits to doing something, we expect them to follow through.  We plan our lives around our commitments and the promises of others.  But sometimes things don’t go the way we plan.  Unfortunately, sometimes people don’t keep their word, their promise, or their commitment to do something or be somewhere.  If it’s inconsequential and doesn’t impact our lives very much, we may overlook it.  But if they continually fail to follow through, we learn we can’t believe them.  If we can’t trust them to keep their word we may decide not to be in a position where we have to rely on them.  Being unbelievable is detrimental to our progress.  If we let that happen, we’ll lose the trust of those around us, and trust once lost, is difficult to rebuild.

We always have the option of saying no when we’re asked to do something.  If we don’t think we can follow through, instead of saying we will, we should decline.  Even if the other person is insistent, if we aren’t sure we can do it, we should not commit.  It’s far better to be truthful about our circumstances than to agree to something we’re doubtful we can fulfill.  If we say we’ll do something, it needs to happen.  If we say we’ll be somewhere, we need to show.  Of course, sometimes complications arise and we aren’t able to follow through, but that shouldn’t happen continually.  If we drop the ball again and again, and fail to keep our word, and are not believable, people will learn not to ask us to join in.  In the long run we may lose valuable opportunities.

People can change and we can restore our credibility if we’ve lost it, but it will take time and unrelenting diligence.  We must commit to following through on our word no matter what.  We have to show up without exception, always do what we said we would, and never break our word going forward.  When we first decide to change our course and become reliable, those who’ve dealt with us in the past may not believe us.  It takes time to restore trust that’s been broken and it takes time to change our image.  But if it’s important to us, if we want to be trustworthy and believable, we can do it.  Each time we keep our word we’ll get closer to where we want to be.  If we are careful and follow through every time, eventually we’ll restore our image, and people will believe we are trustworthy.  We will become believable and reliable.

Today if you realize you’ve broken promises and neglected to follow through on your word in the past, but now want to change your behavior, commit to doing whatever it takes to correct your course.  Do everything needed to keep your promises, and be where you agreed to be or do what you said you’d do.  Make sure you don’t commit to anything you aren’t sure you can accomplish, and then keep every commitment.  You know what needs to be done.  Turn the tide in your favor today and keep it flowing your way.  Others want to trust you.  Give them a good reason to do it.

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Tapping Potential

25 Oct

To collect the sap from maple trees, a spike with a spout is hammered into the trees in early spring. The sap flows from the trees into buckets or lines attached to the spouts. Some days a lot of sap flows and other days it slows down. Although the flows are unpredictable, without the spike, no sap can be collected. Although we aren’t maple trees and don’t have sap, we do have potential we can tap into. Sometimes we need an event – a spike if you will – to realize the potential, and other times we can tap into it on our own. We all have untapped potential waiting to be realized. We can do anything. Our internal potential is a reflection of our unrealized expectations. When we don’t fulfill our expectations and make our potential progress a reality, it sits, dormant. If we want to live our lives to the fullest and be the very best we can be, we need to consider our possibilities, and then do everything we can to fulfill them.

Living a life of mediocrity can be comfortable. It’s like taking a lukewarm bath. The water isn’t hot enough to soothe tired muscles, and it isn’t cold enough to make us shiver. It’s the same temperature as the air around us, and we can hardly feel it when we step in. Mediocrity is the same way. It doesn’t take a lot of effort, it’s easy to accomplish, and we are hardly bothered or inconvenienced. But a mediocre existence is a life half realized. When we keep everything even and safe, when we take no chances, when we stretch no further than we can reach, we end up with a simple, predictable life. Some people prefer living this way, but when we do, we miss out on the tremendous growth we can make, and the amazing things we can do. Lukewarm means to be indifferent, which means to be apathetic and unconcerned. There are many things we need not be concerned about, but the way we live our lives shouldn’t be one of them.

Imagine what our lives could be like if every day we determined to be the very best person we could be. If we decided to stretch, give, learn, and grow a little more than was comfortable. Imagine the mountains we would climb and the challenges we could conquer. We don’t have to do everything at once, and we can change one small thing at a time. Life is not a race, but it is certainly a journey. Any successful journey needs a destination and a plan. If we want to have a rich, fulfilling life, filled with experiences that will renew and excite us, we need to decide on a destination of personal fulfillment. We can decide to live each day to the fullest and plan our actions accordingly. This life is a gift. Every single day is a blessing. We can waste them, skate through them, and ignore them, or we can face each one with an open mind and an open heart, determined not to lose one moment.

Today if you’ve been going through the motions, just getting through, think about tapping into your highest potential. Decide to stretch and push a little further. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll accomplish. You’ll grow more than you can imagine and gain confidence and grace. You have everything you need to live your life fully and completely. Don’t let another moment go by without embracing it. This is your life. Fill it up with everything you’ve been hoping for, and soon your dreams will become your reality.

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Number One

24 Oct

We live in a world with billions of people and there are more and more of us each day. Unless we live somewhere in the wilderness or someplace so remote that we are the only one inhabiting it, we will see others around us all the time. They pass us on the street, in our cars, in the store, and everywhere we go. Having compassion for them, helping them, and acknowledging them makes the world a better place. But some of us have the idea that we need only look out for number one – ourselves. They make sure all their needs and wants are met before they are willing to extend themselves, and when they do, there must be something in it for them. There are benefits to looking out for number one, and we certainly are responsible for taking care of ourselves. However, if we become the primary focus in our lives all the time, and if we have to benefit every time we do something, we might forget how important our connections are to those around us.

Most of us have a lot to take care of each day. We have our personal needs, our jobs, our schools, our families, and a dozen other things that require our attention. If we wanted to we could make sure not to commit to anything unless there is some bonus for us. We could ignore the phone when it rings because we don’t want to be bothered, pretend not to hear when others call our name because we don’t want to interrupt what we’re doing, and just focus on ourselves. If we do this routinely, we will be effective in making our lives the most important part of our days, but we will probably alienate everyone else who is close to us. There is nothing wrong with doing things we enjoy or making our choices a priority, and we should do everything important to us. But there needs to be a balance. We can do those things and still extend ourselves to those around us, and participate in the group.

Belonging to a community, interacting with others, extending our hands in friendship, and helping out, bring us great satisfaction and contentment. We learn about others, we exchange new ideas with them, and our lives are enriched because of the experiences we share. If we isolate ourselves from them, determined to just look out for number one, and see only what’s important to us, we miss the valuable experience of connecting. Feeling connected is important. It gives us a sense of foundation, a base, and makes us feel stronger, and safer. When we take the time to share ourselves, we develop relationships that brings us happiness, and we build a network of people who care about us. Others we can depend on, people who will help us when we need it, and buoy us up when we feel down. It’s a wonderful blessing to have the care of others, and we get that care when we extend it ourselves. It’s true that no man is an island. We’re all in this together. Remembering that will help us stay connected and find our place.

Today if you’ve been focusing on yourself and getting what you want, don’t forget those around you. They need your influence and welcome your attention. Extend yourself to them, care for them, and let them care for you. You have a lot to share, and they want to share in return. Be connected and reach out. The rewards will be great, and you’ll be happier.

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Hatred

23 Oct

As we go through our lives, there may be times when we feel strong, negative emotions toward someone else.  We may determine that those emotions are intense enough to be labeled hatred.  We decide we hate them.  We despise their very existence, and we wish they would disappear.  It takes a lot of emotion and a lot of energy to carry hatred, and we can carry it for as long as we like.  Hatred has caused a lot of problems and turmoil in the world, but it has never helped any situation or resolved any issues.  It is a negative emotion that can hold us back, and freeze us in place.  It’s hard to move forward when we’re consumed with hatred, and despite all the energy we give it, returns nothing back to us.  It pulls on our strength, controls our thoughts, and may negatively determine our actions.  If we let it consume us, it can destroy our lives.

When we determine to hate someone else, we may lose our direction.  Hatred is so powerful and caustic, if we embrace it, it can hold us in place.  In order to move forward in our lives, we need to focus on our goals and where we want to be.  If we are consumed with the presence of someone else it’s difficult to see the road we need to be on.  Hatred may become an obsession.  It may continually pre-occupy us and constantly intrude on our thoughts.  While we are embracing it, it’s very hard to think of little else.  If we are consumed in our hatred, the result may be that the very person we hate, because of the intensity of our focus on them, controls our lives.  If we let the hatred become our driving force it will take over.  We cannot move forward, we cannot improve, and we cannot evolve any further as long as we are held in its grip.

When we are hurt or seriously disappointed by someone, it’s natural to feel bad.  If those feelings are intense it’s hard to let them go.  But letting them go restores our power.  We can acknowledge the slight, we can understand what happened, and we can accept our feelings.  And then, if we are dedicated to our personal growth, we need to let it go.  That doesn’t mean we have to trust the other person again, or even interact with them if we don’t have to.  It means we value our progression and personal happiness more than we value the negative experience.  We are in charge of our lives and we can direct them.  When we feel very strongly about a situation it may be hard to let it go, but letting it go lets us move forward.  And moving forward is what brings us satisfaction, accomplishment, and happiness.

Today if you feel like you absolutely hate someone, don’t let it have authority over you or your actions.  Be in control of your life by understanding what happened and why you feel this way, and then let it go.  Don’t get tied up and stuck because of something someone else has done.  Rise above it and be the best you can be.  You can be an excellent example of success.  Let the hatred go, and embrace your life.  You have so much to offer.  Go forward.

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Different Versions

22 Oct

There are a lot of various situations in our lives, and in each experience we react in a different way. Sometimes we’re having fun and it’s easy to play along. Other times we have to think about a situation to figure out how to navigate it. And sometimes, we may have no idea how to react to something that catches us off guard. While we’re always the same person, different versions of our personality come into play depending on what we’re going through. We have a lot of reactions, expressions, emotions, and displays of affection we draw from every day. We try to always be the best version of ourselves, and often we’re successful. But if the situation really pushes our buttons, the version we display may not be the one that shows our best attributes.

Everyone gets angry from time to time and people disagree. It’s hard to trust those who say they never argue or fight with others. If that’s the case, it seems they either have no opinions that are important to them, or they just go along with whatever is happening. Of course, there are a few who are so evolved they are able to navigate any situation without disharmony, but that is rare. We are all individuals and nobody is exactly like us, so it’s likely we’ll have disagreements with others now and again. When we get upset and something really bothers us, if we jump on it instead of taking a breath and taking time to collect our thoughts, we might say something rude or act out in a way that doesn’t work in our favor. When our emotions are high and we’re angry, if we want the best version of ourselves to come forward, it’s wise to step away for a time until we feel in control.

Defining who we really are, and what we really want takes time. We have to decide what we really believe in, and what defines us. If we are easily influenced by others and impressed by trends, we may just go along and mimic those around us. If we’re timid and shy, instead of expressing ourselves we may choose to be quiet and try to blend in. But determining who we are is important and although others may tell us who they think we are, it’s up to us to decide what’s right. Once we determine what we believe, what we want, and who we are, we can live our lives according to those dictates. We can hold fast to things that are important to us, and be exactly the way we choose. The best version of us is always the honest one. If we live true to who we really are we’ll be happy, and if we stay true to our principles, we’ll be trusted and respected. We can offer our best every day, and we can do it our way.

Today if you’re being pulled one way and another, if you’re being influenced and feel confused or conflicted, think about yourself. Be honest and present who you really are to those around you. You are perfect just as you are. You are unique and valuable. The world is a better place because you’re here. The real you is your best version. Be confident in sharing that.

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