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Emergency

28 Sep

Lots of things can happen as we go through life.  There may be unexpected surprises that suddenly change everything, emergency situations that require us to think fast, and we may lose our breath trying to figure out what’s happened.  Everything can change in an instant and when it does we may feel confused and shaken.  Sometimes we have to act quickly and our first instinct is exactly what we need to do.  But there may be times when we are pressed by others to hurry and do something that feels wrong and we aren’t sure.  If the situation isn’t life threatening we can take a moment to step back and catch our breath and assess what’s happening.  We can review all the possible options before we leap.  The answer we find may be what we’ve been told, but sometimes we discover the best road forward is in the opposite direction.  Taking the time to stop and see the situation clearly before running ahead will help us prevent further complications and make mistakes that may take us far from the answers we need.

Some people jump to action the moment a sudden change arises.  They run forward eager to solve the situation and get through it as quickly as possible.  In the rush they miss important cues and subtle suggestions that will help.  We can’t see everything clearly when we’re running past it.  If we want the best answer we have to see the whole picture and rushing through any situation will often prevent us from being able to see everything.  If we jump the moment something happens and react instead of respond carefully we may find ourselves in a more complicated situation.  Doing the first thing that comes to mind is sometimes the best answer but often it’s just the first answer.  Every problem has a solution and if we stop before we jump and think about everything that’s happening we will find options.  Then we can choose the option that works best overall instead of the one that works fast.  Getting the problem solved fast isn’t always the best plan.  Getting it solved well is the objective.

When others are involved in a sudden issue there may be conflicting ideas about what needs to happen.  If the situation is intense extreme ideas may be thrown out and a lot of information may be presented in a short amount of time.  The confluence of all the chatter may create more confusion.  The loudest voice is sometimes the voice chosen simply because it can be heard above the fray and may not be the best solution.  Even in complicated times of duress we can take control and find a moment to evaluate before we proceed.  We have everything we need to find the best way forward.  We can manage whatever comes to us and we can find the answers to any situation.  There is generally enough time to evaluate, and we can carefully and calmly find our way through any problem before us.

Today if you’re suddenly in a situation where you have to find an important answer and there is pressure to get there quickly, evaluate the whole picture first.  You have everything you need to succeed.  Don’t rush, be wise and listen carefully.  All the answers are there and you will find the best way forward.

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The Destination

15 Aug

Whatever we’re doing in our lives we are headed somewhere.  Our lives change every day in some way and even if we’re doing the same thing today we did yesterday, we are on the road to something new.  The destination may end up being a modified version of exactly where we are now if that’s what we want, or it could be someplace very different.  Every experience brings us information and teaches us something.  Our lives are ours to direct and we can use our experiences to point the way forward.  They say we always do what we want to do most and that’s generally true.  We can move toward a new goal or stay where we are.  We get to choose but one thing is sure, we will arrive at the destination we’re traveling toward.  If we’re on a road we don’t want to travel but do nothing to step away, we will go where it takes us.  Conversely, if we decide we want something different we can change our direction at any time.

Some people bemoan their lives and say they never got to do this or that and are unhappy with the way things turned out.  There are some circumstances that may prevent us from doing things we want to do at the moment, but nothing is permanent and everything changes.  When the tide turns, as it inevitably will, we can change our focus and move in the direction we want to go.  But everything takes effort.  There is no free lunch in life.  If we want something we can generally get it but we’ll have to do what it takes to achieve it.  If the cost is more than we want to cover, we can let the goal go.  We can make the decision not to pursue it.  Our lives belong to us and we can manage them any way we want to.  But if there’s something we want to achieve and  things don’t work out the first time we try, instead of complaining about the loss we can keep our eyes focused on the future and when the situation changes we can try again.  There is no limit to the number of times we can open new doors.  If we’re persistent and keep our eyes on the prize we will attain it.

Personal courage is needed when we want to make a change or seek a new goal.  We have to believe we are capable of achieving it and then be brave enough to move forward and do what it takes.  It’s easy to get stuck and complacent, and ignore dreams we want to achieve.  But each day is a chance to start again.  It doesn’t matter if we’ve let things go before, we can start any time we’re ready.  If we missed the chance the last time, we can grab it now.  There is no time limit for success.  It comes to us when we are ready to achieve it.  It’s always there waiting for us.  We can take control of our lives and begin the journey to the destination we want most.  We can move forward day by day and step by step and we can win.  We have everything we need to be successful.  We are strong and capable and we know what we want.

Today if you’ve been waiting to move forward toward a desired destination, take the first step.  You know where you want to go and what you want to do.  You have all the courage and strength you need to get there.  Start moving.  Success is waiting for you.  Go get it.

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Hit and Run

12 Aug

Suppose as we approach our car in a parking lot after doing some shopping we see someone has hit it while we were inside.  There is no note anywhere with information about who did it.  There is nothing but a smashed up car we now have to deal with.  We’ve become the victim of a hit and run.  Somebody hit the car and simply drove away.  Unless there is a witness who saw the event and is willing to come forward with information, we’re stuck with the damage and making the repairs.  It’s unethical to damage anyone’s property and not take responsibility for it, but some people don’t care about ethics, or what is right.  And so we have to deal with what’s happened.  It’s cowardly to hit anyone or anything and run away afterward.  And when it happens to us we may feel angry, and frustrated.  There is no way to make things right if the offender has disappeared and we are stuck repairing the situation on our own.

Ethics is an interesting subject.  We define what is right and it’s ethical to maintain the standards we set.  It’s unethical to impose pain and suffering on others and not be accountable for it.  But if we want to we can make all kinds of excuses for bad behavior.  The idea of “situational ethics” comes into play.  It’s a convenient excuse when we know what we did was wrong, but feel the situation warranted it and we shouldn’t be responsible for it.  For instance, we miss an important turn as we’re driving somewhere and need to turn around.  There is a no U turn sign but we look around, don’t see anyone and do it anyway.  The situation called for us to turn around and go back, and since nobody saw us, there’s no harm.  But the problem with embracing situational excuses is there will always be a reason to compromise our values, and if there isn’t we can make one up.  We are what we do and if we want to be ethical and honest we must choose what is right even if nobody is looking.

They say the best way to cook a frog is to put it in cold water and slowly heat it up.  That way the frog won’t resist as the water slowly warms until it’s cooked.  When we make decisions that take us away from what we believe is right and then make excuses for them, we are in the water as it begins to heat up.  The next time a decision comes and we want to step out of our standards a little it will be easier because we’ve already stepped away before.  If we keep taking steps further and further away from where we want to be our perceptions of right and wrong will change and our standards will follow.  And like the frog, we’ll be cooked before we know it.  We have to decide what kind of person we really want to be.  If we want to be firm in our convictions we can’t risk wavering.  We can’t hit and run and hope it won’t matter.  What we do always matters.  We can be strong in making choices that keep us on the road we want to travel and define who we most want to be.

Today if you feel tempted to turn away from your standards just a little to accomplish something, hold fast.  Choose well and be firm in what you know is right.  You will prevail and earn the respect of those around you.  You are worth more than you can imagine and your influence on the world is great.  Make it the best influence it can be.

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How We Get There

12 Jul

As we go through our lives we make millions of decisions and choose which way we want to go. We have goals we want to achieve and destinations to find. There are countless ways to get anywhere we want to go and do the things we want to do. We can take a paved road that has been traveled many times, we can choose our own road, or we can create a combination of the two. We can be honest as we move along or we can choose to break every rule in order to get to the end. It’s all up to us. But the choices we make along the way matter. It matters how we get there. Every choice changes us in some way. If we continually choose with honesty and integrity, those attributes will be reflected in our personalities. Conversely, if we choose to storm through, with no thought to whom we hurt along the way and only see ourselves, that too will be reflected in who we are. Every step we take changes us in some way. It’s important to make sure the steps we choose reflect who we most want to be.

Sometimes if we want something very badly we might decide to compromise our values in order to move forward. We might cheat a little, or manipulate the situation by saying things that aren’t completely true, or we might cut a corner that leaves someone out. It’s possible those tactics may move us forward more quickly but the cost will be high. Cheating may bring us a desired result but it won’t be because we earned it. Dishonesty may help us skip a few steps but the lies will follow us for the rest of our lives. And sometimes the person we push out of the way in our effort to move forward may be the only one who can open the door when we arrive at the destination. Compromising our values to achieve any goal will hurt us in the end. We know what’s best for us and there is no goal or destination worth deserting who we are to get to it.

We can choose our own paths and don’t have to take roads that have been designed by others. We don’t have to follow the norm just because it’s the way things have been done. We can create a new road and go our own way. There may be some who will tell us it can’t be done, or others who protest because what we’re doing doesn’t match their paradigm for how things should work, but we can still do it our way. Nobody knows what works for us better than we do. We can find our own way, even in the dark if we have to. We can design a new road, and still get to the goal. If we want to follow the proven path we can. But we have everything we need to create a new road. We can succeed at anything we choose. We can find our way to any destination and we can do it honestly and with grace never forgetting who we are.

Today if you’ve been trying to get to a goal but the paved road isn’t working for you, start a new path. Be honest and clear in your dealings and make every turn authentically yours. You have everything you need to succeed. Choose a road that reflects who you are. Make the journey valiant. The goal is worth your best efforts. Give your very best and you’ll get to the end with honor.

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Tide Coming In

8 Jul

If we walk along the shoreline and watch the tide come in, we might see all kinds of things roll in with it.  There may be beautiful and interesting shells, perhaps a starfish, sea glass, maybe some sharks’ teeth or an ancient glass buoy.  The oceans travel the earth’s surface and as they pass along pick up treasures and carry them to far away shores.  Every time we walk along the sand is an adventure.  We never know what we’ll find or what will come in with each wave.  Our lives are like that.  Each day brings with it limitless possibilities.  We don’t know what will happen, who we’ll see, or what we’ll learn.  We might meet a new friend or go someplace we’ve never been, or we might see something we’ve only dreamed about.  There is no end to what could happen but if we’re present and aware we’ll get the most from the experience.  Everything we go through, and everything that comes to us brings something new we can learn, and we can take all those lessons forward. They will enrich our lives and give us depth.  Sometimes we have no idea where life will take us, but wherever we go, it’s worth the trip.

There is something magical about discovering something new.  Even if we explore every single day of our lives we will never uncover all the amazing things we could see and do.  But trying new things can take courage and we have to be willing to stretch in new ways. We may be unsure because we’ve never done it before and we might be unsteady as we take the first few steps but the adventure comes from taking the chance.  We never know what we can do until we push ourselves and find out.  And the greatest experiences we have often come when we really put ourselves to the test.  When we abandon everything we thought we knew and try something completely different we often discover we are more capable than we ever dreamed, and more courageous than we imagined.

Our days may be filled with routine and expectations.  We may have our hours planned and expect them to follow along as designed.  But there will always be surprises and unexpected events that change things.  It’s up to us to make the most of those opportunities.  If someone new enters the picture, we have the chance to expand our circle and welcome them in.  If an unexpected glitch happens in our plans, we have the opportunity to re-create them and adjust to a new situation.  If a door we thought was open is suddenly locked, we can figure out our way around it.  There are countless things we can learn as we go forward.  When the tide brings in beautiful shells we can bend and pick them up.  If it brings in a tangle of seaweed, we can walk around it.  We can do the same in our personal lives.  Whatever rolls in teaches us something we can take away with us.  If we make the most of each situation, we’ll enrich our lives with countless new experiences and learn more about ourselves and those around us.

Today if something has changed you didn’t expect, or if there is a new situation you must navigate, make the most of it.  Learn all you can and take something of value away.  You are smarter than you think you are and certainly capable of handling anything that comes your way.  If the tide is rolling your way today, step into it.  You have everything you need to do anything you want.

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