Archive | November, 2015

One Star

12 Nov

When we’re looking for direction or trying to find our way through something in our lives, there are a lot of options available to us. There are countless roads we could choose and limitless paths we could follow. When we really want to make the best decision, and we’re struggling to find our way, all those choices can be overwhelming. Sometimes we just want someone to tell us how to do it, and which way to go. But the decision must be ours and although we may get a lot of advice, we need to choose the direction ourselves. There are billions of stars in the sky. They are all beautiful and each is perfect in its own way. When we’re looking for an answer, it’s like identifying the one single star that will guide us. We need to find what fits and what will take us exactly where we want to go. It takes a little time to figure it out, but once we’ve identified it, is easier to move forward.

Making decisions when the stakes are high can be complicated. We can get lost worrying about outcomes and impact. We can get frozen in time and unable to move forward because we don’t really know what will happen. But we don’t have to get stuck. We can take the time needed to make the best choice, and then no matter what comes, we will handle it. There is no way to know where every road will take us. We can try hard to see the future based on our experiences from the past, and that will help. But with all the variables we face every day, nothing is certain. So, taking some time and evaluating the best plan forward is all we can do. Once we’ve determined that, we can boldly proceed, confident that we chose wisely, and let things play out accordingly.

If we are lost and completely unsure, we can get help. We can ask those we trust, we can talk to someone who has faced a similar situation, we can get professional advice or whatever else will aid us in determining our way forward. Most people are willing to help when asked, and there is a lot of experience we may draw from. If the situation is personal, and we don’t want to talk about it with others, we must rely on personal experience and careful thought. We are capable of making excellent decisions. There is one star out there, shining down on us, with all the wisdom and inspiration we need to go forward. Sometimes we just need to look up, and listen to find the answer.

Today if you’re pondering a heavy decision and aren’t sure which way to go, take some time to listen to your heart, and consider all your options. You’ll figure this out. You will make an excellent decision. You are far wiser and more capable than you think you are. You know where you want to go, and you will choose the best road to take you there.

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Taking the Hint

11 Nov

Inspiration is a very personal experience. Sometimes it comes to us like a nudge to do something a little differently. Or someone says something and we are inspired to look in a new direction. Sometimes we feel a continual prompting to change our course a certain way. When we receive inspiration we have the choice to listen to it or ignore it. If we’re happy with our lives as they are, we may ignore the niggling thoughts that come to mind and just brush them off. But if we’re trying hard to find our way they may take on more importance. Inspiration happens to all of us. If we listen to it, we often find it brings us information we’ve been seeking, and we have more confidence going forward.

When we’re trying to accomplish something that eludes us, and we really want to get through, but we can’t seem to figure it out, it can be very frustrating. Sometimes if we just stop and let our minds rest, inspiration will surface, and we’ll see the problem in a new way. When we’re stressed and busy it can be more difficult to find obscure answers because we’re so focused on the issues of the moment. But if we take time out, and sit still letting our minds wander, sometimes we find the answers we’re looking for. It seems counter productive when we’re pushing hard that the answer might be found by doing nothing, but sometimes that’s how inspiration works.

When we get a thought about a situation we’re working on that seems odd and completely different from where we are, we might ignore it. But sometimes those strange, new ideas that come to us are the perfect solution for what we need. We can think about them, toss them around, perhaps discuss them with others, and consider how they might work. Sometimes those ideas themselves aren’t the answer but looking at them opens up a new thought that leads us to where our real answers lie. We need to be open to everything that comes to mind and see how it might apply. The key to resolving our questions and problems is sometimes found in the tiniest of suggestions. If we keep ourselves available to inspiration, and open to every possibility, we’ll find our answers more quickly and effectively.

Today if you’re stumped and frustrated by a situation you can’t seem to resolve, stop looking for the answer and let yourself reflect on all the many possibilities – even the silly ones – that might open the door. You’ll be surprised at the answers that will come to you. You already know how to solve the problem. You just need to access the information available to you. Let your inspiration work. Listen to it and you’ll figure out the next step.

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Missed a Step

10 Nov

Mistakes are a part of life. Despite our best efforts, we all make them from time to time. Perfection is the goal, but not the achievement, and so, sometimes we miss a step. When they are huge blunders that affect others, we feel badly, and the clean-up process can take some time. But even when we make small mistakes they can slow down our progress and we may feel frustrated. Mistakes happen and are a natural consequence of trying to find our way. What’s important isn’t the fact that we make them but how we respond to them. If we let them overcome us and undermine our confidence, they can have far reaching consequences. But if we see them for what they are, and learn as much as possible from them, they can, in the end, be blessings in disguise. After all, this life is a learning process and we are going to stumble from time to time.

Since we’re all human, and subject to error, nobody is exempt from occasionally missing the mark. It’s important to remember that when others falter and impact us. Belittling or criticizing because of a mistake will never fix the problem. Most of us don’t want to screw up, and generally try to do our best. But even with the best laid plans, sometimes things go wrong. Perhaps it’s because we didn’t get all the information we needed at the beginning. Or maybe we misjudged a situation and thought things were different than they really were. And there is always the possibility that someone else influences the decision and causes us to fail. There are a thousand ways to bungle every choice we make and none of us is immune.

Learning to be patient when we stumble is sometimes difficult, especially if we’re trying to impress or improve ourselves. It’s hard to face a setback when we’re trying hard to move forward. But the course of our lives will never be exactly even and predictable. We need patience to help us through the bumps. Sometimes it’s easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves, but we deserve the same consideration we extend. We can do everything in our power to make sure our decisions are flawless and sometimes we’ll succeed. But sometimes we are going to falter, and when that happens it’s important to remember all the times we did things well. Nobody is right or wrong all the time. We get some of each – all the time.

Today if you’re feeling bad because you made a mistake, and you’ve lost some confidence, don’t forget all the times you got it right. You make great decisions, and most of the time you succeed. If you’ve had a stumble, correct your course and go forward with courage. You haven’t lost everything. You really can do anything. You know what needs to be done. Stand up straight and start again.

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Which Way

9 Nov

There are countless directions we can take with our lives. We can do anything we want and we can choose our direction any way we see fit. Whichever way we choose to go will take us to a specific destination. Whether we are successful or not depends first on our ability to identify where we want to end up. If we want to be a scientist, we have to choose an education that will open the door for us. If we want to be a dancer, we have to begin learning steps. It’s impossible to achieve anything unless we direct our course appropriately and do what is needed to get there. It’s a simple concept, but we can get confused and although we think we know where we want to go, may actually be on the wrong road to get there. Life is complex and our path is affected by a lot of influences and forces we can’t control. But we can control our decisions, and once we decide what we want, we can also control our direction to achieve it.

It’s important in any endeavor to think about where our feet are pointing. Some destinations have a lot of routes that will take us there, and some have only a few. For instance, if we want to a career that requires a college education, we must get on the road that will give us that education to open the door to that career. But if we want to do humanitarian work, there are many paths we could choose. The first step is to define where we want to go. Where do we want to end up? What do we want to accomplish? What’s the goal? Once we determine those things, we can begin to chart our course. After we make our plan, complications will inevitably begin. It seems there is no end to complications in this life and most things are never as easy as they seem at the beginning. But no matter what happens, if we know where we want to end up, and we keep our eyes on the goal, we can continue moving forward, and in time we will achieve it.

Sometimes in the middle of a journey, we change, and decide to alter our course to accommodate a new destination. There is certainly nothing wrong with changing our minds, but if all we do is continually change the goal, we may never accomplish much. We can do anything but there are so many choices it takes focus to choose well and stick to a decision. Focusing and sticking are imperative if we want to succeed.  Once we get to one destination, if we like, we may immediately plot a new course that will take us to the next goal. If we remember what we want to do, if we plan and stay true in each decision, we will accomplish a lot in our lives, and in the end, will be successful in doing all the things we want to do.

Today if you’ve been thinking about your direction, if you aren’t sure your feet are pointing to the destination you most want, re-set your course. You can accomplish any goal you set out to do. Once you’ve made your decision, stick to it and keep moving forward. Take things as they come and stay focused on the road ahead. You can do anything you set your mind to. Point your feet in the direction you want to travel, take a step forward, and you’ll realize all your dreams.

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Fact or Fiction

7 Nov

People have a lot of opinions and some of them involve us. They see us do things or hear us say something and draw conclusions about who we are. Sometimes they’re right, but sometimes their interpretations of what we’re doing are inaccurate. Unfortunately, once they’ve made up their mind about us, they may share their perceptions with others, and before we know it people may think we are someone very different that who we really are. It isn’t always bad. Sometimes they are wrong in ways that make us look better, but other times they may assume we’re doing something inappropriate, wrong, or distasteful. When that happens, we can be hurt by the stories people tell about us. Even when there is no truth to the rumors, they can hurt us, and damage our confidence.

We are the only ones who know who we really are. We share our lives with others, and even when we share ourselves in intimate relationships, nobody can know us like we do. We know our thoughts, our motives, our intentions and we know what we want and what we believe. Our outward actions only tell part of the story, and when they are misread, can tell a story that has nothing to do with the truth. It becomes a question of fact or fiction. We always know the facts but unless we’re clear in expressing them, fiction may take over. Lives can be destroyed by rumors, and spirits can be broken. It’s imperative that we do everything we can not to spread them, and if we are the subject of them, do everything we can to clear up the distortion. We need to speak up and correct any misconceptions, and hold fast to what is real.

There may be times when stories about us, even when they aren’t true, make us question ourselves. After all, if others believe we are a certain way, we might think there must be some truth to it. There is a minute bit of truth in almost all fiction, but that doesn’t make the entire tale true. We need to stand strong in being ourselves. In the end it really doesn’t matter what other people think or what they say about us. If we continue to live our lives authentically, in accordance with our personal goals and desires, those around us, even those who initially believed fiction, will come to know the facts. And when they do, they’ll see us clearly and without misinterpretation.

Today if you’ve been injured by stories about you, if someone misunderstands you or what you’re doing, you can be strong, knowing the truth. You know who you are and any fiction floating around means nothing. Be courageous in being uniquely you. Be open and honest about yourself, and those around you will come to understand exactly how impressive you really are. Live your life exactly as you choose. You are a gift to the world. Never forget that.

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