Archive | March, 2018

Rapids

9 Mar

There are limitless opportunities in life to try new things and push ourselves further.  Each situation pushes us and teaches us new things.  If we go on a canoe trip down a slow moving river and come upon a set of rapids, we may feel concerned and intimidated.  The water may be deep, the current may be powerful, and the rapids may be threatening.  No matter how rough the water, we can navigate through it, and when we reach the other side will feel victorious, having overcome something challenging and new.  Rough water and unexpected turbulence may seem sinister and looming at first, but we are strong and capable of managing whatever we must face.  We can set out to seek new horizons and chance the rapids of the unknown instead of holding onto routine.  When we do, we stretch beyond our current boundaries and discover new things about the world, and about ourselves.  There are millions of new experiences awaiting us.  Every situation teaches us something new and as we push through them and reach further we will gain personal strength and greater confidence moving forward.  We are capable of much more than we recognize and can trust ourselves to manage any new situation and find the way forward.  Life is a great blessing and each time we try something new, we gain a greater understanding of how the world works, and our place in it.  We can look ahead with confidence and reach further to stretch beyond what is comfortable.  We can take new chances, and overcome any obstacle before us.

There are countless roads to travel as we go through our lives, and stepping off our current path may be unsettling at first.  New situations and interactions may feel uncomfortable at the beginning.  Unknown territory presents new situations but if we remain for a time, we learn about it and find a way to work within it.  Once we understand a new situation, it becomes ours and is no longer strange and uncomfortable.  We have the capacity to understand everything.  As we learn new things and they become familiar, we can make them a part of our lives.

Sometimes we want to do something new but don’t think we have enough wisdom or courage to do it.  We don’t have to know everything about a new endeavor before we begin.  We only need the desire to do it and the willingness to learn about it.  Our capacity for learning is unlimited and anything we want to do is possible.  We can begin a new journey at any time.  We can face the rapids that may come and overcome any challenge before us.  Life is an incredible blessing.  Living it to the fullest and taking every opportunity to learn and grow will bring us great satisfaction and happiness.

Today if you’ve been wanting to do something new but have been afraid you might fail, do it anyway.  If you fail the first time, do it again.  Success is always possible and you will prevail.  There isn’t anything you can’t do.  You are strong and capable, and everything is within reach.  Go forward with confidence, embrace the challenge, and you’ll find success.

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Broken Clocks

8 Mar

When we think about our lives and the goals we want to achieve, if we really want to accomplish them we must work to make them a reality. Our dreams are important but life is busy and sometimes with all the responsibilities before us, we set things aside thinking we’ll get to them later. As time goes by, even though we think about the things we really want to do, we may find we’re no closer to them than we were in the beginning. They say a broken clock is right twice a day, or two out of 1440 minutes. So, by doing nothing but staying in place it’s successful about .001 percent of the time. We’re not clocks but our chances of succeeding at anything by doing nothing are probably not much better. Of course, we have responsibilities that must be addressed every day, and there are always complications and unforeseen problems, but if we want to do anything we have to find time for it and do what is necessary to make it happen. It’s like planning to run a race. We can study the course, learn everything possible about the mechanics of running, and read stories about the great runners of our time. But until we actually put our feet on the track, nothing will happen. No goal can be achieved without action. Everything we desire is possible and we can go anywhere we want. Once we decide to move forward, and plan our time around what we want most, every dream we desire can become a reality. There isn’t anything we can’t manage and when we’re ready, nothing can keep us from successfully accomplishing whatever we desire. Our lives belong to us and how we live them is our responsibility. We can purposely move forward toward our goals and find success.

When we have a lot of responsibilities and many people depend on us, taking time for ourselves can feel selfish. We may believe our commitments are more important than what we want do on our own, and push our desires and dreams off until we have time. Additional time will never magically appear, no matter how much we want it. We must work within the boundaries before us and decide on our priorities. Our lives are important and our dreams are precious. We can plan effectively and do what is needed to make them come true.

Time moves forward whether we’re actively engaged in a pursuit or sitting idly by. There is always enough time to do what is most important to us, even if we’re busy. The most hectic day gives way for time to eat when we’re hungry. It’s a priority that presses on us until we address it. Our goals can be as important as any other priority when we decide we value them. The whole world is available to us and there isn’t anything we can’t do. We can choose the best way forward to accomplish anything we desire.

Today if you’ve been putting your dreams on hold thinking you’ll get to them later, take the first step toward them now. Put your feet on the track and start moving toward the goal. You are powerful, wise and capable, and there isn’t anything you can’t accomplish. All your dreams are just ahead waiting to be uncovered, and you will reach them. Begin now and you’ll find success.

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Fair and Even

7 Mar

As we interact with others who come in and out of our lives, we will meet many different kinds of people.  Some will be nice and enhance our experiences, and others may be difficult.  Everyone has their own expressions and ideas about life. We may agree with them at times and or we may be at odds.  There is an old expression, “An eye for an eye,” which loosely means I will give you back what you give to me.  It seems fair to return what we’ve been given and we may want to keep the score even by doing so.  However, if someone does something mean or hateful to us, returning that to them may not serve us well.  We may feel better hitting back, but all we will have accomplished is proving we can go as low as they did.  Who we are is defined by what we do, not what is done to us.  What seems fair may not always be the best choice.  If we want to be the best we can be, we must be willing to reach higher when we’ve been hit below the belt.  When we’ve been betrayed, scorned, cheated on, lied to, or in any other way demeaned, we can step back and decide what is in our best interest going forward.  We need not continue relationships that don’t work.  We can keep a high standard for our behavior and walk away from those who choose another road.  We are always in control of our decisions and can choose the paths that take us where we want to go.  We can be fair and still move forward with grace and dignity.  We deserve the very best of everything.  By choosing well, we will achieve it.

The fight or flight reflex can have a huge influence over us when we’re in situations that are threatening or aggressive.  We may have an almost uncontrollable desire to run from whomever is involved, or we may feel anger rise in us and desire to smash our opponent.  This is a survival mechanism that warns us of impending danger.  However, most of the time we may not be in real danger, but threatened by a situation or person who is bullying and forceful.  If we take a minute to think about how best to proceed instead of simply reacting, we will find greater success moving forward.  We can take a deep breath, recognize the instinctive cues, and then calmly make a decision about how to proceed.  We can be in control of our lives even when things go wrong and choose the best paths ahead.

Sometimes people get ahead and win despite poor decisions and bad behavior.  It’s hard to watch someone succeed by cheating or bullying, and it goes against our ideas of fair play.  When those who are dishonest or unethical win, we may feel burned and angry.  But life has a way of looping around and in the end, there is no way to escape personal accountability.  We can ensure our peace and happiness going forward by making the best choices each day and choosing the paths that will take us where we most want to go.

Today if someone has done something to hurt you and you want to get back at them, remember who you are and what you really want.  Reach higher and choose the road that will take you to excellence.  You are amazing and powerful, and nothing will stop you from succeeding.  Make your best decisions and every road will open ahead.

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Defining Bravery

6 Mar

Everyone has heard stories of amazing bravery and incredible courage. Fire fighters who run into burning buildings to rescue children, people who stand up to vicious criminals and save themselves and those with them, and people who risk their lives to go back for someone left behind in a flood. There are countless stories of incredible strength and courage in the face of terrible odds and sure disaster. Although we may have the opportunity to experience events like these, many of us will go through our lives without facing them. We may wonder how brave we really are if we never get the chance to face insurmountable odds and prove ourselves. It may seem courage requires extreme conditions to show itself, but that isn’t true. Sometimes the quietest lives exhibit amazing bravery. Quiet courage is no less impressive than extreme examples. The determined decision to do our best no matter what comes and the willingness to endure difficult situations with grace and dignity are examples of bravery and courage. When we choose the best choice in a difficult situation and must step away from what is comfortable and easy, we are valiant. When we refuse to let anger overcome us and remain calm in the face of serious conflict, we are noble. Every decision we make decides who we are. Life is filled with endless challenges and each time we take a step toward what is right, each time we refuse to be overcome and stand strong, we are brave and courageous. There is nothing we can’t do and do well. Understanding our true power will help us move forward and give us the wisdom we need to prevail.

We don’t have to be fearless to be brave. Fear is a natural response to threat and may present itself under many different situations. We will undoubtedly feel fear when we have a near miss that endangers us but it may also be present when someone confronts us or we must do something new. When we stand strong and choose the right, we exhibit great courage and strength. We are more powerful than we know and every time we make an excellent choice, our power increases. We have everything we need to be brave even in the most challenging situations, and each step we take forward brings us greater strength and ability.

Personal strength is something we may continually work on as we go through our lives. We all want to make our dreams come true and increasing our courage and temerity will help us. We can do anything we really want to do. There really isn’t anything strong enough to keep us from any goal if we are determined to make it a reality. Recognizing the power we hold as we push forward and remembering how capable we are will enable us to overcome any obstacle in our way and find success. The whole world is available to us and we can go anywhere we desire.

Today if you don’t think you have the courage to do something, remember how powerful you are. You are braver and wiser than you realize. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Forge ahead and push through anything in your way. All your dreams are there for you and you will reach them. The road ahead is wide open and waiting.

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Branded

5 Mar

How we are perceived by others is sometimes the result of what we’ve done in the past.  Our personal behavior as we move through different situations may color what other people think of us and how much influence we carry.  We often hear about personal branding and how important it is to make sure ours represents what we want it to portray.  It’s a complicated issue and people may use all kinds of measuring factors regarding it.  We may have no idea how we’re being judged, and who we really are may have nothing to do with the impressions others may assume.  It’s dangerous to label people, and although we can’t prevent anyone from assuming things about us, we can refuse to judge those around us the same way.  Branding is important in business, and how successful we are managing it will sometimes decide whether we are entitled to some opportunities.  But in our personal lives, branding may be harmful and destructive.  Although we need information to make good decisions, basing any judgement on hearsay, or rumor, or assuming people will do anything before they have the chance to try will never bring us success.  We learn about people as we interact with them.  Every time we meet with them, talk to them, or work with them we learn more about them and as we get to know them can decide how our relationship will be defined.  The world is a big place and there are infinite human expressions and experiences.  Instead of believing what we hear, we can allow others to show us who they are, and trust our personal wisdom moving forward to make the best decisions.

Everyone judges situations and those around them.  It’s a natural reflex and when we see someone who is very much like someone else we’ve known we may make assumptions about who they are.  We may instinctively assign all kinds of traits to them simply because they remind us of a previous situation.  If we don’t have much interaction with them, those reminders may stay in place indefinitely.  But everyone is different.  Even people who look alike or act alike are not the same.  Assumptions are dangerous and are sometimes based on fiction.  We are wise enough to set aside any pre-conceived ideas about anyone and let them show us who they are.  We can be open to building relationships going forward.

There may be times in our lives when we may be judged or excluded from something we desire because of a previous situation.  Perhaps we didn’t manage something the way others felt was best, or we got caught up in some drama where there was no way to win.  Life is complicated and sometimes we end up in places that convolute our path for a time.  We all go through unexpected situations, but nothing is permanent.  Change is constant, and we learn as we go.  No matter what has happened in the past, we can be confident moving forward that we will make excellent decisions and choose the right road.  We can find success ahead and achieve any goal we desire.

Today if you’ve judged someone without knowing them, let them show you who they are.  Be welcoming and keep the doors open.  There is great blessing in sharing our lives with others.  Refuse to brand and label those around you, and learn about them as you go.  Your life will be richer, and your relationships will be stronger.

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