Archive | May, 2017

Bump Bump

12 May

When we’re trying to accomplish something important or get to a goal there are sometimes bumps along the way.  Even if we plan effectively and try to prepare for possible eventualities, there may be surprises that stop our progress.  When we first start out and come upon a snag we may navigate around it and keep going with confidence.  However, if we’ve been working to move forward for a while and we keep running into problems again and again, we may begin to feel the goal is unattainable.  One bump is easily overcome but if the road is continually difficult and there are a lot of things in our way we may start to re-think our ability to succeed.  Every road has construction from time to time and there will always be things we don’t expect and can’t control.  If we are determined we will more easily be able to get through but each compromise and each problem takes a toll.  As time passes if we don’t see any progress we may begin to feel defeated and think about giving up.  We can always change our course if the original plan isn’t workable and we can choose to let go of any goal we set.  But if we really want to achieve the things we desire, stopping and quitting will never get us there.  Instead we might stop and revise our plan forward, or we may set the goal aside and try again later.  Sometimes success is all about timing.  We don’t always know our timing isn’t right when we begin and we get more information as we move forward.  There is no need to rush to accomplish our goals.  We can let them go for a time and when things change and we’re in a different place we can try again.

We learn a lot as we go through difficult times.  As we overcome problems and complications we gain skills that help us going forward.  We learn more about our situation and what is needed to continue on.  We can’t read the future and as things develop we can be flexible and use the information we’ve gained to navigate the way ahead.  If we take complications as opportunities to see our situation more clearly instead of the end of the road we will get through them more easily.  No road is without problems and there will be bumps and potholes along the way.  We can learn from each setback and decide how to effectively continue on.

If we must set a goal aside we may feel disappointment or even a sense of failure.  Change doesn’t mean we stop but that we need to redirect how we will go forward.  We can accomplish anything we desire but we may need to modify how and when we get to the destination.  We are flexible enough to do what is needed to succeed.  If we must wait, we can wait.  Everything changes every day and soon our situation will be right to begin again.  Success will come to us if we are willing to be flexible and determined enough to continue forward.

Today if you’ve been working hard to accomplish something and there have been continual problems and complications along the way, step back and decide how you want to go forward.  If the timing isn’t right, set the goal aside until things change.  You can do anything and you are wise enough to find the way through.

Getting Power

11 May

Life can be complicated. Some days we sail through without a care and then in an instant everything changes and what was true becomes completely false and we stumble. We may experience doubt and frustration trying to right ourselves again, and if the situation becomes very difficult we may wonder how to find a way through. There are countless things that can go wrong every day and when they do we may feel temporarily confused and lost. Fear may encompass us as we try to navigate forward and we may not know what to do. We might wish for power to overcome the issue but power doesn’t come at the beginning of a trial. We gain it as we move forward through the problem. Taking action even when we’re unsure brings us confidence. If we remember all trials are temporary and keep the long view in mind we will conquer our fears and have the courage needed to press forward. We have everything we need to succeed even in complicated and difficult times. We can rely on our strength and trust in our faith to move forward. There is nothing too difficult for us to unravel. No life is without problems and challenges. We have the courage and the wisdom to find our way and gain all the power we need to succeed. We’ve come through problems before and prevailed, and the power we’ve gained so far will help us do it again.

When we’re in the midst of a personal struggle we may only see our own lives. It can be hard to see others when the pain of what we’re dealing with is intense. We may withdraw for a time, keep our heads down and try to hide out until we feel more confident. Taking a break from other pressures while trying to solve a problem can be helpful but we must not bury ourselves so deeply we don’t come out again. The world is filled with all kinds of pressures and problems and hiding from them will never solve anything. If we need a break we can take it but as soon as possible we can return to the situation and do what is needed to move forward.

Some problems are very personal. We may not wish to bring others into the situation because we are embarrassed or concerned about what they may think. However, if we’ve been struggling for a time and still can’t find the way forward we may reach out for help. Those who care about us will listen with compassion and do what they can to offer assistance. There isn’t anything we can’t overcome no matter how hard it may seem at the beginning. We can find the power we need to prevail through any complication.

Today if you’re facing a difficult issue and aren’t sure how to proceed, if you’re afraid you can’t find the way forward and feel powerless to continue, remember all the times in the past you’ve prevailed and overcome. Take your time, get help if you need it, and be strong. You will overcome any issue you must face, gain power as you move forward and find your way through. You have more courage than you realize. Trust in yourself and stand tall. You will succeed and be stronger in the end.

Worst Case Scenario

9 May

We are only able to control our own choices and the things we do. We have no control over what anyone else chooses or what the world brings to us. Although we may live well, are honest and caring, and choose things that will move us forward on the path we want to travel, all bets are off when it comes to the decisions of others. Despite our best efforts to be fair and kind, there may be times when someone will treat us badly. Perhaps they lie to us or about us, do devious and mean things to us, take our possessions or break into our space uninvited, manipulate us or even physically harm us. We can’t control anything but ourselves and sometimes others may make bad decisions that bring hardship, pain, and sadness into our lives. It’s difficult to manage when it’s someone close to us and worse when it’s someone we love. We may struggle to understand why they would hurt us and we may be heartbroken but trying to understand why others do anything is wasted time. Everyone makes their own choices and sometimes people choose badly. Instead of trying to figure out why they are doing what they are doing, it’s better to find a way to navigate the situation with grace and keep our standards high. In the end our choices are what direct our lives. If we make the best choices, even when there is trouble, we will prevail.

When someone attacks us our first instinct may be to fight back. The fight or flight reflex is coded into our genes and helps us survive. It’s a valuable trait but unless we’re in a face off with a lion we can choose something higher. Getting down in the dirt and hitting back will never help us. Even if we win the fight, we may lose our self-respect. Responding badly to a sucker punch only makes us the sucker. We can stand taller and refuse to take the bait. Often when someone hurts us they are seeking control over us. If we stay calm, we can use wisdom and composure to control the situation and win. Even in a worst-case scenario we have everything we need to be in control and choose wisely.

Everyone is different and all we can see is what they show us. Sometimes the person we’ve trusted and shared our lives with isn’t honest about who they really are. They may play along and pretend they are friends but if their intentions aren’t authentic, in time their real attributes will become apparent. When that happens, if they turn out to be someone who is untrustworthy and hurts us we may feel betrayed. We may wonder how we ever believed in them and struggle to forgive ourselves for falling into a bad situation. But trusting others is noble and it’s honorable to extend friendship. We only answer for our own choices and can choose what is right no matter what others do.

Today if you’re in a situation where someone you trusted has hurt you and you feel betrayed and angry, choose wisely going forward. Don’t let the decisions of others pull you from the path you most want to travel. Keep your eyes focused ahead and let your actions set the example for what is right and good. You deserve every happiness. Choose well and be true to yourself. You will succeed and you will win.

Blame Game

4 May

Sometimes things go wrong and our plans don’t work out. Perhaps we were in the wrong place, it was the wrong time, we worked with the wrong people, or dozens of other reasons. When we’ve worked hard to achieve something and everything falls apart we may look for someone or something to blame. There are times when the decisions of others stop our plans, and other times when circumstances prevent us from moving forward. We can certainly place the blame anywhere we like when we’re facing disappointment, but placing blame doesn’t help us move forward. If we’re angry, concentrating on what we believe is at fault may stop our progress. In the end, no matter who or what we blame, we are where we are and it really doesn’t matter what went wrong. We can voice our opinions about how things should have happened and express our frustration over decisions that have been made, but none of that will change our situation. We will still be exactly where we are. If we want to move forward and achieve the goal we can try again. Taking time to review where things fell apart may help us find a better road ahead that allows us to reach the destination. Every experience – both good and bad – teaches us something. If we learn all we can from the things we’ve done already we have a better chance of finding the right way through next time. There is no goal too daunting for us to achieve. We can let go of disappointment, start again, turn in a different direction, and move forward.

Life is full of challenges and opportunities. We can go anywhere we want to go but if success on our journey depends on the decisions of others we may have to re-route our course from time to time. Everyone has their opinions and ideas about the way things should be. If we’re swimming upstream and pushing against the norm we will likely face barriers. That doesn’t mean we have to turn around and follow everyone else but we may have to modify our course to accommodate the situation. We can be flexible and turn when needed to navigate our way to the destination we desire.

There may be times when someone purposely prevents us from moving forward. Perhaps they don’t agree with our plans, don’t understand what we’re doing, or simply want us to stay where we are. If they block our path and there is no way around them now, we may set our goal aside for a time and begin again when our circumstances change. There is often no set timetable for success. Although we may be impatient, if the goal is not possible now, we can wait and try again later. Things will change and our opportunity to move forward will come. When it does, we can be ready and begin again.

Today if something has prevented you from reaching a goal, don’t waste time blaming the situation or those around you. Look at everything objectively and decide how you want to proceed. You can accomplish any goal you desire. If you must wait, prepare and be ready for when the right time arrives. Success is there for you. You can plan effectively, and you will win. There isn’t anything you can’t do.

What It Is

3 May

We face countless situations and complications as we go through our lives.  Although we have everything we need to face anything that comes to us, there may be times when what’s happening is so far from what we want we may struggle to accept it.  We can only control how we act and what we do.  Sometimes things happen to us over which we have no authority or power to change.  If they are disagreeable or completely outside of what we want in our lives it may be difficult to accept.  We can fight against the situation and push hard to try and change it but if nothing we do alters our reality eventually we will have to deal with it as it is.  Facing what is real is the only way to live genuinely and find true happiness.  We may be unhappy about something, we may disagree with what’s going on and our frustration may overwhelm us. If we want to understand our lives completely we must look straight at them and see clearly what is real.  We can accept what cannot be changed, even if it’s something we don’t want.  Our power is infinite over our own lives and we can move forward toward any destination we choose.  If something stands in our way we can find another road forward.  No matter what has developed, no matter how much we want things to change, and no matter how hard it is to keep moving, we can accept what is real and find a way forward.

Denial never works for long.  It may distract us for a time and allow us to look away from something unpleasant but it changes nothing.  It holds us in place and the longer we embrace it, the longer we must wait to find our way through.  It’s like treading water in the middle of a turbulent sea.  It will hold us up for now but if we don’t do something to move forward we will continually struggle.  It takes far more energy to deny what is happening in our lives than it does to simply accept things as they are and then plan our way forward.  We have enough wisdom and insight to figure out any problem that comes to us and solve it in ways that benefit us going forward.

Sometimes when things are difficult, instead of looking at the situation openly we may try to dress it up or paint it in ways that make it look different.  No matter what we do to change the way something looks, it will remain.  If you paint a cow pink it’s still a cow.  Instead of putting a pretty picture on a difficult situation we can determine to face it head on, look at all the complications and then find a positive way through.  There isn’t anything too difficult for us to solve and we have all the courage we need to successfully navigate any problem.  We can see things as they are and then proactively decide what we want to do and where we want to go.

Today if you’re in a difficult situation and you don’t want to look at it, open your eyes and see it clearly.  Learn all you can to find your way forward.  Complications will come but you have everything you need to overcome them.  You are courageous and strong.  Be faithful and trust yourself.  You can face anything and you will succeed.