Archive | August, 2018

Choosing the Ending

17 Aug

There is a popular children’s book series where there are several different endings to the stories.  After reading the basic story in the book, the reader can choose the ending they want from a few at the end.  It’s a great and creative idea that allows us to imagine how it would be if we could decide how things end up.  In our lives it would be wonderful – amazing even – if we could decide where our decisions would take us and design how everything would come together.  We could do the things we wanted without concern for the result because we could always change the ending if we didn’t like where we landed.  But life is reality, and we have all the freedom and power to make any decisions we like but no control over where those decisions take us.  Sometimes everything works out exactly as we hope and other times we may end up in a place that is nowhere we want to be.  There is no way to predict the future and all we can do is look at the options available and make the best choices possible.  Life will take us places we never dream we will go and sometimes we may end up somewhere that isn’t comfortable or easy.  We don’t have to stay anywhere forever and always have the power to change our situations, whatever they may be.  If we land in foreign territory and don’t like the scenery or the players involved, we can move.  Although we can’t control everything, we can always control our own lives.  We can change our location, our relationships, our job, or anything else that isn’t working.  We deserve complete happiness and can do whatever we need to achieve it.

There are all kinds of opinions about life and how we should be living.  We can listen to all the advice we’re given and decide how much of it we want to take, if any.  Some people have very strong ideas about how things should go and if we’re different from them they may try to persuade us to change our ways.  We are responsible for our own lives and can follow their example if we like, or continue to do things our own way.  We know what we want and who we want to be.  Our expressions are ours alone and never have to mimic anyone else.  The unique gifts we bring are ours to offer and enhance the world in ways nobody else could.

When we make decisions that take us far from where we thought we were headed we can choose to go back and start again, or investigate our new situation and see what it brings.  Change offers us new insights and a wider vision of our world.  Foreign territory may be intimidating at first but we can learn about it and make it ours.  There are countless roads to explore and endless locations to find.  If we end up someplace new, instead of running back to home plate, we can see what the new landscape offers us.  There are great blessings just waiting to be discovered and we can be confident and sure we will find them.

Today if a choice you made took you somewhere you had no intention of going, before you retreat, take a look around.  You may find great pleasure and unexpected benefits as you get to know something new.  The world is filled with possibilities and they are all open to you.  Be confident and open all the doors.  There are blessings waiting for you.

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Go Faster!

16 Aug

We all have our own ideas and methods for getting things done. Some people like to jump into projects with both feet and storm through them as quickly as possible. Others like to take time to look at the situation before beginning and then carefully and cautiously proceed watching out for any stumbling blocks in the way. Neither method is wrong but when we’re on one side of the process we may deride the other as either being foolish for moving so fast, or become impatient because they are taking their time. The way we do things is completely up to us. We can rush through or ponder each step along the way. It’s a matter of personal choice for what we feel will work best. If we’re in a hurry it’s hard to wait for someone who is going slowly. We may press them to go faster, tell them to forget the minutiae, skip the finer points and details, and get on with it. It’s nice to accomplish many things and we may feel successful when we’ve checked a lot of boxes off our list, but rushing doesn’t always bring the best results. We may find the things we skipped over in order to get the job done fast are the very details that come back to haunt us because we left them undone. Fast doesn’t always translate into complete. It will do us no good to get something done quickly if we have to go back and do it again. Even if our schedule is pressing, we can take a moment to ensure we are clear on all the details and understand exactly what needs to be done. Then we can proceed with confidence and complete everything as effectively as possible.

It can be hard for high energy people to wait. Waiting takes patience and it’s hard to be patient when we want to move forward. If others are taking more time than we like and we think we know the way forward, we may jump in and take control. If we push others aside and rush forward with our own plans we may reach the goal faster but it may cost us in personal relationships we value. Everyone’s opinion is important and all views are valuable, even if they’re different from ours. We don’t have to do things our way every time to succeed. There is never only one road forward. We can be open to other ideas and still reach the goal.

There is no way to know what lies ahead before we get there. We can’t read the future and there will always be unforeseen complications we don’t expect. Although we can’t prepare for what we can’t predict, if we keep our vision open to everything around us instead of laser focused only on the goal, we will be ready when problems arise. We are capable of navigating through any issues that come up. Success is always possible and by allowing different ideas into play, we will find it and reach the destination.

Today if you’re impatient because someone is moving slowly, be open to their perspective and listen to their ideas. You may find their choice will take you forward more quickly than rushing ahead yourself. There are limitless options available to you. Open your eyes wide and see everything before you. Success will always be there and you will reach it.

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Different Color

15 Aug

It’s easy to be around people who are like us.  If they have similar values, see the world in basically the same way we do and share our views of what’s right and wrong, it’s easy to be around them and share our lives with them.  But everyone is different and even if we’re sure our way of thinking is best for us, it’s foolish to believe it’s the way everyone else should live.  There are endless ideas and expressions possible and we all form our own views based on what we’ve experienced and what we want to gain.  What’s important to us may mean nothing to someone else.  It doesn’t mean either is wrong.  It’s just a difference in interpretation.  If we draw a hard line in the sand and require others to be like us in order to have a relationship with us, we may have a very lonely life.  We all have some things in common – we’re human beings, our basic needs are the same and we’re sharing the earth at the same time.  Other differences don’t change those parameters.  A horse of a different color is still a horse after all.  But everything else for us may be different than those around us and that’s fine.  We are unique and our expressions and desires are specific to our personal experience.  As long as nobody is getting hurt, allowing others to express themselves according to their own wishes is wise.  We may not understand their viewpoint but we can respect their right to it and honor their choices.  We don’t have to do anything that isn’t right for us and can follow our own specific paths.  As we do we can walk beside others who are taking a different road and create friendships despite the difference.

Hatred is a caustic emotion.  It never brings peace or anything of value to us.  Hating others because they are different than we are will never bring us happiness.  Even if we have no understanding of why someone would choose something we can understand and accept their right to make the decision.  We don’t have to agree or support anything that is contrary to our personal values but we can’t impose our beliefs on others.  We all have the right to live our lives any way we choose.  Respecting that right will help us clarify where we stand and define the paths we want to take.

Our personal experiences are unique to us.  Nobody is living our lives but us and nobody else is privy to the insight and understanding we gain as we go through different passages.  We can be confident in our choices and sure of our decisions.  It doesn’t matter if everyone else is going left, we can turn right if it’s right for where we are.  There are limitless roads to travel and the ones we choose are up to us.  We are unique and perfect in our own way.  Honoring that uniqueness in ourselves and others will bring us true and complete happiness.

Today if you’re confused about the decisions made by others around you, remember you only have insight into your own life.  Your experiences are unique to you and you can make any choices you like.  Honor the same in others and your life will be enriched.  We’re all different.  You are perfect in your own way.  Be welcoming to others and show the world your best.

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No Go

8 Aug

There are limitless things we can accomplish and endless goals we can work toward.  When we want something we can create a plan to achieve it and move forward toward success.  If we had control over everything around us we could always guarantee we’d be able to reach every goal we desired.  Unfortunately, we live in the real world and the only control we have is over ourselves.  There will always be other people making decisions that impact us and other things we don’t know about and can’t prevent from getting in the way.  If we’re determined to reach a goal we can work diligently and push through obstacles in our way but we may face a situation where no matter what we do we can’t get there.  Sometimes the hurdles are too high or the barrier in front of us is too wide to get around.  If there is nothing we can do to change the situation we may have to abandon the goal and let it go.  It’s hard to face defeat when we’ve worked hard to succeed especially if we’ve worked hard for a long time.  We don’t know what we don’t know and can’t see everything at the beginning.  Sometimes no matter how well we plan or hard we push things won’t work out for us.  If we must let go of a goal, we can set it down and walk away – for now.  Life is constantly in flux and everything changes around us over time.  What is impossible today may come easily in the future so although we have to leave the dream behind now, if we still want to accomplish it we can revisit it later and try again.

It’s great to reach the destinations we desire but the journey along the way is what teaches us about our world.  Every experience teaches us something and we take that knowledge forward with us.  Even if things don’t work out we have more information than when we started and understand more clearly where we are and what we need.  We can use all the lessons we’ve gained to reach new heights moving forward and continue toward the lives we want the most.

When we’ve been stopped and can’t move before we reach a goal we can develop another plan and try again.  We can try as often as we like and may reach success.  Most goals are attainable but there are some things we won’t be able to achieve no matter what we do.  To continually knock ourselves out trying to do something that can’t be done is not in our best interest.  Trying to do the impossible will only hold us back from finding success in other areas.  If we’ve done all we can and still can’t move forward we can turn our course toward something else.  It’s wise to accept defeat when success isn’t possible.  We can be confident in choosing well and living in ways that bring satisfaction and ultimate success.

Today if you’ve been working hard for a long time toward a goal and can’t move forward, look at everything clearly.  If there are possible options that will bring success, try them.  If not, determine where you want to go now and begin again on a new road.  There is no failure as long as you continue forward.  Be confident and trust your judgement.  You are wise and capable and will find success.

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Swinging the Bat

7 Aug

There are a lot of risks in life. Every day we take some sort of risk just going through our responsibilities and accomplishing our tasks. We never know what will happen so we try to be careful and do the best we can to make sure everything goes the way we want it to. Most of the time things work out but sometimes they don’t and when that happens we are able to change our plans and move forward a little differently. If we want to change something in our lives – our jobs, our relationships, our financial situation, even our appearance – we must take a risk that what we do will work in our favor. It can be unsettling to step away from what we know and try something new but we will never reach our goals if we stay locked in place. It’s impossible to hit the ball if we don’t swing the bat. We can dream about what we want and talk about the changes we desire for years, but until we take action, nothing will change. Time will go by and we will stay exactly where we are, doing exactly what we’re doing. We can make all our dreams come true if we’re willing to step away from what’s comfortable and take a chance. Every opportunity is available and nothing is out of reach. By looking at every situation objectively and making a solid plan and then taking the first steps forward determined to continue until we reach the goal we’ll find success. We can do anything. We are brave enough and wise enough to face any risks we must and find our way forward.

It’s easy to stay in the same place over time. We know the scenery, the others involved, and we understand the role we play. If we become complacent and simply go through the motions of the same patterns every day, chances are our lives will be predictable and easy. There is nothing wrong with having a simple life that is easy to understand and navigate – if that’s what we want. But if we yearn for more challenge and more reward we must step away from where we are and walk on a new road. We don’t have to change everything at once. A simple adjustment that moves us in a new direction will open unexpected opportunities that embellish our experiences and bring us great satisfaction.

There is no time limit for change and we are never too old to try something new. There are no expiration dates on possibilities. Even if we’ve been doing the same things for many years, we can adjust our course going forward. We can always change direction and extend our reach in a new arena. Life is filled with opportunities and we can aim for anything we desire. There will always be risk but taking a chance on a fuller, more exciting and fun life, will bring great rewards.

Today if you’ve been doing the same things for a while and want a change but are unsure you’ll succeed, take the chance. You will manage whatever comes. There is great reward in trying new things and your life will be magnified as you open new doors. Do what you dream and push ahead. Everything is there waiting for you. Take the first step and you’ll reach your goal.

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