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Unrealized

31 May

We all have a lot of potential in our lives. There are limitless things we can do and learn, and every day we can try something new. But potential is not achievement. What is possible doesn’t mean anything if we do nothing. Life is full of choices and every choice we make takes us somewhere. If we choose to, we can live mediocre lives and follow along without ever trying to be the best we could be. We don’t have to test our limits and see how far we can go. We may have great potential, but potential is unrealized expectation. There is the possibility we could achieve something great, but without action it will sit dormant. Nothing happens unless we do it. We will never go as far as we can, or achieve all that’s possible unless we do what is needed ourselves. Nobody will hand us success. It’s always available to us, but the choice to go get it is ours.

Sometimes it takes time to decide what we want to achieve. We have to figure out what we want most and how we want to live. We may perceive limitations that keep us from trying, or be intimidated by change. But if we want to do something, no matter what it is, we can do it. It takes the decision to succeed, determination to stay the course, and focus to get where we want to go. We’re all capable of doing great things and only we can decide what those things are. We may need some time to determine exactly where we want to go, but we can choose any direction we like, and then chart a course to get there. If we stay true to our desires and focused on our goal, we will succeed and our potential will be realized.

It’s frustrating and unfulfilling to live our lives endlessly hoping for things and doing nothing to achieve them. We can hope we’ll lose weight, hope we’ll make more money, hope we’ll become more educated, hope we’ll get better jobs and all the rest. But hope is only desire and anticipation. It doesn’t help us actually achieve the thing we want. If we really want to move forward to the things we desire, we have to work for them and do what is needed to achieve them. We can realize all our potential. We can make all our dreams reality but we have to do what is needed to get there. Potential is great. It helps us plan for our future and what we want most. But until we start moving forward, potential is only what’s possible. We have everything we need to change potential into achievement. We can do anything we want to do. We can move forward and when we do, all our dreams can come true.

Today if you’ve been hoping for something and you know you are capable of more than you’re doing, start planning to move forward. You have unlimited potential for success. You have everything you need to succeed and you deserve every success. Take the first step toward your goals, and then take another. Keep moving forward and you’ll realize all your greatest potential and make all your dreams come true.

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In Control

27 May

Personal independence varies from one individual to another.  Some people are comfortable doing everything on their own and don’t need or want help from anyone else.  Others are more comfortable doing things as a team and depend on any help and assistance they can get.  We all have our own comfort levels and no matter what other people are doing, we define those parameters for ourselves.  We all want to be in control of our lives but what that means differs from person to person.  However, there is a difference between being independent and being selfish.  When we’re selfish we think only of ourselves and our personal needs and wants, disregarding those around us.  Selfishness is rarely a positive trait and often leads to disharmony and conflict.  Where the lines are between being independent and being selfish depends on the influence our decisions have over others.  If we do something that negatively impacts those around us and we have no consideration or concern for them we are being selfish.  We can be independent all we want, but it’s important to remember how our decisions affect others.  If our choices create problems for those around us we may get returns we didn’t count on.

There are a lot of people in all of our lives and our relationships with them have a wide range of expression.  We may be close and share everything with them, or they may be passing acquaintances we rarely see.  Our relationships sometimes define how independent we are in our interactions with them.  If we have a situation where everything we do impacts someone else and our decisions will result in changes not only for us but also for them it’s important to consider the implications before the decisions are made.  Being independent doesn’t give us the right to make decisions that impact others just because we want to do something.

Selfishness is a difficult trait in any relationship.  By its definition it means to think only of oneself and not others.  It’s almost impossible to be selfish and kind at the same time.  Few people want to be around those who make decisions that impact them without caring.  We may get away with it for a while but in the end if we value ourselves over our relationships we may end up alone.  If we think only of our comfort, our choices, our plans, and our way of doing things, it will be impossible to build a healthy connection with anyone else.  Everyone’s views are important and we all have a lot to offer.  If we want to share our world with those around us, we must learn not only to take what we want, but to give something in return.

Today if you’ve made an independent decision that has negatively impacted someone else, revise your plans.  You can do anything you like but if you consider those around you, your life will be happier and things will go more easily.  You are strong and capable.  Everyone has a lot to offer and deserves to be considered.  Be as independent as you like but remember others as you go forward.  When you do you’ll build stronger relationships and connections that will embellish your life.

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Finding Ourselves

16 May

Learning who we are and what we want seems like an easy thing to do.  After all, we’re the only ones living inside our own heads.  But the complications of living in a world filled with others and their opinions and expectations, can muddy the waters.  We learn as we go and each day we discover something new about ourselves.  As we grow, we change and how we see ourselves changes as well.  They say it isn’t until we’re lost that we begin to find ourselves.  When we get lost and all the things we thought we could count on aren’t available, if our direction is spinning around and we feel untethered, we have only ourselves to rely on.  And when that happens, we learn who we really are.  When it’s just us and nobody else, when the light is dim and it’s hard to find our way, we must pull from resources inside us.  And when we do we find out how strong and capable we are, and we begin to understand how much we can really do.  Discovering who we really are and living a genuine life are great blessings that will bring us comfort, courage, and confidence.

This life is filled with signs and directions.  Go here, go there, do this, do that, stop, go, wait, it’s endless.  Everyone has an opinion about what we should do.  Some of those opinions mean a lot, and some of it is just noise created by our societal norms.  If we take a road trip and follow every sign we see, take every exit and every turn, all we’ll do is drive from place to place with no final destination.  Our lives are the same way.  If we don’t have a plan for our destination, if we don’t know what we want to do, and if we have no idea where we’re headed, we’ll end up spending our days going places but landing nowhere.

We don’t always have to get lost to figure out who we are and what we want, but we will have to pay attention.  Instead of going along with everything we encounter, we can take a moment and decide if it’s something we really want to do.  Instead of acting a certain way because it’s what’s expected, we can be genuinely who we are.  Our lives are in our control.  We can decide to do anything with them we choose.  But we have to make the choices if we want them to be ours.  We can go anywhere we want to go, but we have to take the journey.  We can be anything we want to be, but we have to do what’s needed for that to become reality.  It’s all in our power.  The only thing stopping us from doing it our way, is us.  We have sufficient courage and determination to create the lives we want.  Our lives can be a true reflection of who we are, and when they are, we find real happiness.

Today if you feel like you’re not moving forward the way you want to and you’re staying busy but feel stuck, think about what you want.  Think about who you really are and then begin to live your life the way that fits you best.  You are a gift to the world.  There has never been, nor will there ever be anyone else like you.  Be genuine.  Be yourself and share that uniqueness.  The world is better because you’re here.  Find yourself and you’ll find real happiness.

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One Thing More

10 May

We can all live our lives any way we choose. We can be ambitious or lazy, motivated or complacent, and we can do our best or just get by. But if we really want to get the most out of our experiences, we need to strive for excellence in all we do. That requires considering more than what is obvious. It means taking a moment before moving on to be sure we’ve done things the way we really want to. If we’re rushing around and checking things off a list, sometimes we don’t do everything as well as we might like. When we’re busy it can be hard to do everything with excellence. Sometimes we just want to accomplish the task and finish. But if we take just a moment to think before leaving what we’re doing, we can consider if there is more that could be done. If there is, we can accomplish it and be confident that we did our best moving forward. Great accomplishments and achievements don’t always mean excellence. Sometimes excellence is achieved merely by doing one more small thing. If we stop and think before moving on we may see something that could change a good outcome to a great one. If we want to do our best, taking a quick look before finishing anything and making sure we’ve done all we can, will allow us to do that.

If we want to achieve excellence, we must do our best in all our endeavors and be the best people we can be. But we’re also busy people and generally have a lot on our minds. There is a lot to accomplish in our lives and though we want to do it all well, sometimes the time crunch pushes us to move along even if we haven’t done everything exactly as we’d like. If we rush from task to task and fail to really look at what we’re doing, we may accomplish a lot but it may not be at the standard we are seeking. If there is one more thing we can do to complete the task with excellence, and we stop for a moment to see it, we can address it and then move on.

Most things we want to accomplish have many layers. If people are involved there will be lots of individual opinions and advice and it’s important to hear them. If the task is complex and takes many steps, and we skip something in an effort to move along more quickly, the job will get done, but may not be done as well. We’re all capable achieving excellence in our activities. But glossing over details, rushing and skipping what we feel is insignificant doesn’t always allow us to get there. No matter what we’ve done there may be one thing more we could do to improve the outcome. It might be a phone call, or maybe a re-check of something, or perhaps a conversation to gain another perspective. It doesn’t have to be time consuming but taking a moment to consider what we could do before we finish can mean the difference between doing a job well, and doing it excellently.

Today as you go about your routine and all the things you need to accomplish, take the time to see if there is one thing more you could do to bring the best outcomes. You have everything you need to accomplish anything you like. Do your best to be your best. Excellence is within your reach. Grab it and make it yours.

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Ivory Towers

6 May

This life is filled with all kinds of interpretations, expressions, ideals and doctrines. Everyone is different and we are entitled to adopt whatever reasoning or rationales we choose. Sometimes we’ll agree with others, sometimes we won’t but we may choose whatever path we like going forward. Unfortunately, because of our differences, there may be some who choose to isolate themselves in order to stay away from others. They may believe their thoughts are superior or so different from those around them they should be set apart. If we choose to do that and construct a virtual ivory tower around us, keeping others at a distance, it may become impossible to understand the world and those in it. It will certainly be harder to relate to those around us if we exclude ourselves from interacting with them. If we stay separate we might find ourselves misunderstood and alone much of the time. This life is all about interacting with those around us. If we’re alone there is no chance to do that or to grow from those experiences. It’s better to set our personal standards and still continue to be a part of the group. Joining in doesn’t mean we have to completely assimilate. It just means we can participate which will bring us great blessings and continued growth.

The world and our societies continue to evolve as time passes. Perhaps we feel we’d be more comfortable with the way things were in the past, and maybe today’s norm doesn’t feel right for us. No matter what is going on with others or what is considered commonplace, we can always choose to live our lives our own way. We don’t have to match everyone else and we don’t have to do things that make us uncomfortable. We can hold fast to the methods and patterns that work for us and take the best of what’s around us and make it our own. There is no one perfect way to live a life. We all get to choose our own way and we can do it effectively without completely avoiding anything new.

Learning to work with those around us and interact with them in positive ways is easy for some, and more difficult for others. If we’re innately social it may be easier for us to manage differences and get along while keeping our own standards. If we’re uncomfortable in social settings it may be harder to understand others and find our voices. But either way, we can be part of the group and if we’re patient and embracing of differences, we can learn from them. We never need to isolate ourselves or hide away to find our way through. We are capable of sharing our lives and letting others share their lives with us. Everyone has gifts to offer. If we let them in we can learn new things, experience new understanding, and become richer and more integrated. We’re all in this together. Sharing the experience and being a part of it will bring us the most in return.

Today if you’ve been setting yourself apart and hanging back, step up. You have a lot to share and we all want to know you. Talk to those around you and get to know them. Open your heart and let others follow. Your life will be richer as you make new friends and companions to share the journey.

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