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Hidden Treasure

4 May

It’s exciting to think about going on a treasure hunt.  If we have a map where “X” marks the spot we could find it and start digging. Or maybe we could go out on the ocean on a big boat and find a sunken ship filled with treasure. Or we could go on a geological expedition and find a diamond in fields of rocks. It’s fun to ponder doing these things but treasures can be hard to find and may take a lot of time and resources. That doesn’t mean they aren’t out there and we can go searching for them.  But there is hidden treasure that’s easier to find. We each have some special treasures deep inside us we keep safe and secure. Sometimes it’s a dream we want to pursue, sometimes it’s a gift we only share with others once in a while, and sometimes it’s something we want to become that we’ve held onto but never begun. There are treasures in all of us and when we’re ready we can bring them out and manifest them in our lives. Until then, they will stay buried, tucked away, and hidden from the world.

As we’re living our lives, we have choices to make. Sometimes we get caught up in a situation, a career, or a pattern we didn’t plan on. If we don’t control where we’re headed, our lives will go wherever circumstances lead us. Even if we want to be in control, sometimes the roads we want to travel aren’t available to us yet. But everything changes as time goes by and opportunities present themselves that enable us to re-evaluate where we are and where we want to go. If we’ve been in the same situation for a long time, even if it’s not what we really want, we may be tempted to continue because we know the road so well. We know what to expect and where we’re headed. But if it’s not the path we want the most, staying the course for convenience won’t bring us true and lasting happiness. We always have the option to change and what we do, and where we go, is up to us.

Our lives are our responsibility. We can live them any way we want to. If we aren’t happy, and if we aren’t fulfilled and we want a change, we can have it. It’s rarely easy to make big changes in our lives, and sometimes it takes a lot of effort to turn our ship, but if we’re correcting our course to where we most want to go, any effort will be worth the cost. If we’re unhappy in our relationships, we can change them. If we don’t like our jobs, we can change those too. If we want to live somewhere new, we can move. And if we want to change something about our personalities, we can. There is nothing out of reach. We all have treasures to offer the world. We don’t have to dig for them. We know exactly what they are and how to reach them.  We don’t have to live lives that prevent us from opening them.  This life is a gift. Living it the way that makes us happiest is the gift we give ourselves.

Today if you want to change your life, if you’re ready to embrace your dreams and bring your treasure out, you can do it. There isn’t anything you can’t do. You can live your life any way you like, go anywhere you want to go, and do anything you want to do. Open the door and take the first step to your perfect life. You deserve everything. And you can have it.

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Biting Back

29 Apr

Recently there was a news story about a zebra in Africa who while crossing a river was attacked by an alligator.  The alligator bit him and another was circling to take him down but the zebra refused to simply surrender and viciously bit back.  Stunned, the alligator was disoriented for a moment which gave the zebra time to climb out of the river to safety.  This was newsworthy because evidently animals don’t usually bite back at alligators when they are being attacked and generally just try to escape.  But in this instance the zebra was having none of that and fought back to save its life.  In our lives we may never be attacked by alligators but we probably will find ourselves in situations where we feel we’re being attacked by others.  When that happens, just like that zebra, we have a choice to make.  We can simply try to escape the attack or we can fight back.  That doesn’t mean we have to bite anyone, but we can certainly stand up for ourselves and defend our positions.

There are all kinds of people in the world and throughout the course of our lives we will come into contact with a wide spectrum of personalities.  Some people are nice, some not so nice, some polite, some rude – the varieties and expressions are endless.  When we encounter someone who doesn’t like us or something we’ve done we may find ourselves in a situation where we feel we’re being attacked.  If that happens, how we handle it will affect whatever comes after the issue has passed.  If we run from the situation and try to ignore it we may not find a satisfactory resolution.  If we react by maliciously fighting back we may impact the chance for a positive relationship.  We don’t have to take any criticisms lying down.  We can defend ourselves and our positions and we can do it in ways that enable us to go forward with confidence.

If we quietly listen when we are faced with a confrontation and allow the other person to completely state their feelings and concerns, even if they are wrong, it will open the door to communication.  After the complaint has been clearly stated we may respond to the problem and explain whatever is needed to clear the air.  Perhaps we’ve made a mistake and if so, we can recognize that.  If the allegations are false and the attack unwarranted, we can explain our position.  If we are patient and remain calm during the attack our “bite back” will be more effective in clearing the way to resolution.  In all our dealings, resolving conflict will make the road forward easier than if we engage in an all-out battle of wills.  Like the zebra, we don’t have to take any attack without responding.  But if we respond with patience, and quietly explain our position, and if we maintain our personal control, we will move forward more effectively.

Today if you feel you’ve been attacked unfairly, take the time to listen to the issues carefully and respond patiently and calmly.  Ask questions if you are unsure of the problem and explain your position.  You are capable of managing any conflict that comes your way and resolving it.  Choose the best road forward.  Being the best you can be will pave the way for you.

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Shifting

12 Apr

We do thousands of things every day. We go places, we look at people, we talk, we interact, and everywhere we go and everything we do shifts our reality just a bit. We’re perceptive and when others impact us negatively or positively it can stay with us. If someone is rude to us it can make us feel bad for the rest of the day. And if someone is unexpectedly nice to us, it can brighten us and make us feel good. As we go through the motions of our lives we have the chance at every turn to make a difference. We can make the world a better place by doing something positive. Just one small act of kindness can lift not only the receiver but the giver, and all those who witness it or hear about it. We’re all connected and when we hear or see someone doing something good, we all feel better. Knowing that, if we determined to do one small positive thing every day, over time, we could change the world. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, we don’t have to donate money, or run into a burning house to save someone, or take all the neighbor kids to a movie, although those are all impressive. We could do something small to lift someone and make their day better. For instance we could help someone with a heavy bag, or cheer a crying child, or let someone who’s in a hurry go in front of us.  Those small acts don’t seem like much, but they can mean a lot. And they can change a day that is lonely or sad or stressed into something better. We are all capable of sharing goodwill, and each time we do, we bless those around us and receive blessings as well. If we decided every day to do one small act to make the world better, we would be amazed at how it lifts us and how much happier we’d be.

We can get caught up in our personal lives. We have a lot of responsibility and every day seems to bring more that needs to be done. If we focus only on ourselves and not those around us we might think we’re being more efficient, and maybe we are. But those around us are part of our world and impact our experiences here. When we look up and notice them we see they are just like us. They are trying hard to get things done too, and they have challenges and triumphs just like we do. If we extend ourselves just a little to let them know we’re aware of them and that we care, we would all feel more connected. And feeling connected is a wonderful thing. It makes us remember that we’re lovable and cared for, and it communicates the same messages to others.

There are countless ways to be of service.  Often, once we do one small thing to help out, it opens our eyes to something else. If we keep our eyes open and look, each day will bring us an opportunity to serve. Day by day as we practice extending ourselves we’ll notice that service makes us feel good. We feel better knowing we’re doing something noble. It doesn’t take a lot of time, it doesn’t take money, and it’s an easy thing to do. The blessings will be abundant – both to us and those around us. We can shift everything to the right, and be a source of great happiness.

Today look around you. See if there isn’t some small way you might help someone else. You’ll find it and when you do, offer a hand. Tomorrow do the same thing. Soon your perspective will change and you’ll feel more connected, and you’ll be happier. You’ll still be busy, but there will be a shift in how you see things. Bring the sunshine. You’ve got it all inside you.  Share it and it will return to you tenfold.

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Done Deal

8 Apr

We do a lot of things every day. We try new things, start new projects, begin on a new path, and continue on. There are endless things to learn and do. We can tackle any challenge we want to and we can succeed. But sometimes we don’t finish what we start. Maybe the project ended up taking more time than we planned on, or maybe it turned out to be more complicated or expensive than we wanted. When we don’t finish things and don’t let them go, they hang around on the periphery of our lives. Maybe we stuff them in a closet and although ignore them, see them every day. Maybe we put them in a drawer and try to forget them, but we know they’re there. If we don’t plan to finish whatever we’ve been working on, and we want to move forward, we need to let them go. Otherwise, they will be a constant reminder of what we didn’t do. We don’t have to do anything we don’t want to, and if we’ve decided we’re not going to finish something it’s best to remove it completely. We can give it away, throw it away, erase it from our to-do list, forget it, and move on.

When we have unfinished business around us it can undermine our confidence. We may believe we should have done more to complete it or managed it better. Those thoughts can hold us back and we may struggle thinking we should try to work on it again. We can always go back to anything we’ve left behind but if we’ve decided we’re not going to do it, we can let it go. Moving forward is our privilege and we don’t have to focus on things that hold us back. We accomplish a lot of things well, and if we come upon something we can’t or don’t want to complete, we can move on. If it’s important enough to finish even when we don’t want to, we can do that as well. Either way it’s our choice, and we can make it.

If we are judicious in our decisions about what we will and won’t do, we’ll be more successful in completing the tasks we take on. We can’t do everything and promising to do more than we can will only lead to disappointment. We can take some time to evaluate what we realistically are able to do, and then decide from there. Making careful decisions about our time will enable us to find success. It’s easy to get carried away and agree to do more than we can. There are a lot of people in the world and sometimes it seems they all want something from us. But we’re in control of our lives and our time. If we know we won’t be able to finish something it’s best not to start. Leaving things unfinished again and again may impact our confidence. If we are wise and choose carefully, we’ll be more successful in completing the things we’ve chosen, and feel better about our accomplishments.

Today if you’ve got unfinished projects that are niggling at you, think about what you can realistically complete and let the rest go. You aren’t a failure for not finishing something. You are wise to manage your time. You know what you can and can’t do. Let go of the things you can’t, and you’ll be successful completing the things you can.

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Fair Winds

2 Apr

Everywhere we go and everything we do is changed because we were there.  With every touch, every conversation, and every interaction, we leave a part of us behind.  It’s easy to forget that as we go through each day moving from one task to another.  We’re all sharing the planet together, and even when we think we’re on our own and alone, others see us and hear us, and their lives are changed because we are here.  There is a well know nautical blessing of “Fair winds and following seas.”  To a sailor, fair winds mean an easy and productive day, and following seas push them closer to the safety of the shore.  We can create our own fair winds through our behavior, and when we do, the following seas are the trailing benefits of what we leave behind.  If we are rude and manipulative, or angry and crass, those are the impressions that will follow us.  But if we are kind and patient, pleasant and helpful, that’s what we’ll take forward.  Trouble comes to us all.  Nobody has a life filled with only soft clover and honey. We’re going to have hard times, difficult challenges, disappointments, and sadness.  It’s the natural course of life and cannot be completely avoided.  But what we do when we have challenging times is up to us.  We can hold onto the pain, and become hard and mean, and live on turbulent seas.  Or we can walk through whatever comes and determine to heal in spite of it.  Whatever choice we make will be reflected in our actions and demeanor.

Although difficult times will come, sometimes we manufacture more problems from the way we deal, or don’t deal, with them.  If someone has hurt us, instead of seeing the issue as it is and determining to move forward anyway, we could hold onto the hurt and let it develop into anger, and feelings of revenge.  We could live our lives focused on getting back at the one who hurt us, and let the pain control us.  If we do, we may lose track of everything else and become bitter.  Bitterness will create more problems to deal with.  If we can keep our eyes on the goals we want for ourselves, and focus on who we really want to be, we can move past any pain or difficulty and retain our best attributes.  We can decide to cope with our troubles and find peace knowing we are doing the best we can.  We can impact others for good, we can be kind, and enhance the world and those around us.

Today if you’ve been angry because of something that’s happened, remember who you are.  You have a lot to offer and you deserve to be happy.  Set your sites on the goals you want for yourself and move forward with confidence.  Share the gifts you have with those around you.  Be an example of goodness and light, and you’ll have fair winds and following seas not just today, but every day going forward.

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