Archive | Challenge RSS feed for this section

In a Panic

30 Oct

Most of us have fears of some sort.  Some are tangible – maybe we’re afraid of spiders, elevators, heights or other things.  And some are unseen such as the fear of speaking up or being the center of attention.  Whatever are fears are, they are very real to us even if they are irrational.  For instance, everyone knows they are far larger than any bug on the earth, and they are easily destroyed, but there are some who are terrified of them.  Although our fears may be illogical, they can still be crippling and difficult to manage.  If they are holding us back and preventing us from moving forward in a way that’s important to us, we need to look at them and take action to overcome them.  If they keep us from advancing in our careers, or building healthy relationships that bring us happiness, we need to find a way around them so we can be happy, successful and confident.

Sometimes in our jobs, we are asked to do things that are uncomfortable for us.  If we have a fear of speaking in front of others, being assigned that task may be almost crippling.  We may try to find someone else to do it for us, or plead with our superiors to be excused from the assignment.  However, when we’re asked to do something that frightens us, the best thing to do is face it.  We will never break through our fears unless we confront them head on.  It isn’t easy to do things that terrify us, but oftentimes when we do, we discover they aren’t as difficult or scary as we thought they would be.  The first time is hard, and we may stumble, but we don’t have to stop.  If we push through the experience once, we can push through it again.  After we’ve faced the issue a few times the fear will lesson, and if we keep at it, disappear altogether.

If we are afraid of commitment but really want a permanent relationship, we can make the changes needed to move forward.  If we need professional counseling we can get it.  If we’re unsure and worried about rejection, we can begin by facing that.  No matter what issue is keeping us from going forward, or whatever worries us, we can face them one at a time.  We can begin to extend ourselves a little at first until things become comfortable, and then we can extend ourselves a little further.  In time, we’ll be successful in breaking through the fear and leaving it behind.  Our lives are valuable and each day we have the opportunity to change anything that is holding us in place.  We can move closer to where we want to be, and if we do, nothing will stop us from getting to our goal.  We deserve to be happy, and have everything we dream of.  There isn’t anything that will stop us if we are determined.

Today if you’ve been afraid of going forward in some area of your life, you can start by making one small change.  Do one thing that will move you closer to where you want to be.  Tomorrow, take one more step and continue each day until you get to your goal.  You are far braver than you think you are, and you can do anything.  Start today and before you know it, you’ll be where you want to be and happiness will be your companion.

Tags: , ,

Spinning

27 Oct

There is a game children play that’s like baseball but before the “batter” can run, they must stand the bat on the ground, place their head on top of it and spin around it several times.  Then they stand up – as best they can – and try to run to the bases.  It’s very funny to watch the players try to proceed in a straight line when they’re dizzy from spinning.  If you’ve ever played this game, you know how difficult it is to find direction when you’re completely disoriented.  Sometimes it can feel like our lives are like that.  We know where we want to go, but somehow no matter how hard we try to advance in a straight line, we end up going in lots of different directions.  There are complications, misdirection, distractions, and endless influences that pull us off our course.

Getting from point “A” to point “B” seems like a simple idea.  We just need to look at them objectively, and plot a course from one to the other.  It sounds easy but when we’re dealing with other people whose decisions also come into play, it can get confusing.  Most of the things we do in this life involve others.  We have to find a way to cooperate and work with their ideas and visions, as well as our own.  Although we may be sure which way we need to go, and we have the plan already formulated in our minds, their ideas of how proceed may be quite different.  When we try to put them together and come up with a workable plan going forward, the path may get fuzzy, and if we aren’t careful we can lose our way.  It’s like spinning before we walk forward.  We know where we need to end up but trying to walk a straight line to get there eludes us.

Before we start any journey, we need to be clear in our objective and understand the mission we’re trying to accomplish.  It’s important to know exactly what we’re trying to do before we start out.  Sometimes that’s easy to discern, but other times it can be obscure.  We have an idea of what needs to be done, but really aren’t sure about the desired destination.  Before we even begin to formulate a plan, we need to clarify exactly where it is we want to end up.  Otherwise we may find that although we eventually get to a destination, and achieve something, it isn’t what we needed to accomplish.  Sometimes that happens because there is too much input, and sometimes it’s because there isn’t enough.  Either way, if we aren’t sure where we’re headed, when we start the journey it’s difficult to get our feet pointed in the right direction and in the end may end up far from where we want to be.

Today if you’re confused about which way you’re going, if you aren’t sure what the objective is, stop and determine exactly what you need to do.  Don’t waste time spinning.  Get clarification before you proceed.  Once you’re clear on where you’re headed, you can plot your course, and despite what stands in the way, will be able to get there successfully.  You have all the tools you need to get wherever you want to go.  Clear your head and make your plan.  You’re just steps away from arriving exactly at the right spot.

Tags: , ,

Tapping Potential

25 Oct

To collect the sap from maple trees, a spike with a spout is hammered into the trees in early spring. The sap flows from the trees into buckets or lines attached to the spouts. Some days a lot of sap flows and other days it slows down. Although the flows are unpredictable, without the spike, no sap can be collected. Although we aren’t maple trees and don’t have sap, we do have potential we can tap into. Sometimes we need an event – a spike if you will – to realize the potential, and other times we can tap into it on our own. We all have untapped potential waiting to be realized. We can do anything. Our internal potential is a reflection of our unrealized expectations. When we don’t fulfill our expectations and make our potential progress a reality, it sits, dormant. If we want to live our lives to the fullest and be the very best we can be, we need to consider our possibilities, and then do everything we can to fulfill them.

Living a life of mediocrity can be comfortable. It’s like taking a lukewarm bath. The water isn’t hot enough to soothe tired muscles, and it isn’t cold enough to make us shiver. It’s the same temperature as the air around us, and we can hardly feel it when we step in. Mediocrity is the same way. It doesn’t take a lot of effort, it’s easy to accomplish, and we are hardly bothered or inconvenienced. But a mediocre existence is a life half realized. When we keep everything even and safe, when we take no chances, when we stretch no further than we can reach, we end up with a simple, predictable life. Some people prefer living this way, but when we do, we miss out on the tremendous growth we can make, and the amazing things we can do. Lukewarm means to be indifferent, which means to be apathetic and unconcerned. There are many things we need not be concerned about, but the way we live our lives shouldn’t be one of them.

Imagine what our lives could be like if every day we determined to be the very best person we could be. If we decided to stretch, give, learn, and grow a little more than was comfortable. Imagine the mountains we would climb and the challenges we could conquer. We don’t have to do everything at once, and we can change one small thing at a time. Life is not a race, but it is certainly a journey. Any successful journey needs a destination and a plan. If we want to have a rich, fulfilling life, filled with experiences that will renew and excite us, we need to decide on a destination of personal fulfillment. We can decide to live each day to the fullest and plan our actions accordingly. This life is a gift. Every single day is a blessing. We can waste them, skate through them, and ignore them, or we can face each one with an open mind and an open heart, determined not to lose one moment.

Today if you’ve been going through the motions, just getting through, think about tapping into your highest potential. Decide to stretch and push a little further. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll accomplish. You’ll grow more than you can imagine and gain confidence and grace. You have everything you need to live your life fully and completely. Don’t let another moment go by without embracing it. This is your life. Fill it up with everything you’ve been hoping for, and soon your dreams will become your reality.

Tags: , ,

Digging Deep

21 Oct

When we go through situations in our lives that are difficult, and are really struggling to get through them, we sometimes think we can’t do it. We might think it’s just too hard, and we can’t manage. If there’s a way, we may try to run from the problem and avoid it. But oftentimes, there is only one way out, and that’s straight through it. We have to face where we are and find a way to navigate forward. At those times, we have to dig deep inside ourselves, pull all the strength and courage we have, and muster all our confidence to push through. Those situations are never easy and we may suffer while we’re navigating them. But while we’re pushing ahead, while we’re trying everything we can to move forward, we are learning more about ourselves and gaining strength even as we expend it. The harder the situation is, the stronger we get as we navigate it. It’s difficult to see the blessing when we’re struggling, but it will be apparent when we turn the page.

There are things that come into our lives that shake us, situations that seem insurmountable at first, and they can make us question our ability to survive. But each challenge, no matter how difficult, brings with it the opportunity to grow and learn more about who we are, and what we’re made of. If life was always easy, and nothing ever went wrong, we would never learn the skills we need to become fully aware and capable. The blessings that come to us when we are struggling are generally equal to the intensity of the struggle. If the situation is moderately difficult, we’ll learn a little. But if it’s very hard, and if it tries us deeply, we will grow and learn more about ourselves than we may have thought possible. We can always do more than we think we can, and we’re far stronger than we often recognize. It’s during times of great duress that we find our true strength and valiance. When everything is seemingly against us and we endure, we find out who we really are.

Knowing what we can do and how much we can overcome brings us confidence. When we’re in a situation that is frightening, and threatening, and our hearts are pounding because we’re unsure, we can still go forward. We can face the situation, and push through it to the end. When we do, we feel invincible when it’s over, knowing we faced the hardships, and despite them, got through. The confidence that comes on the other side of the trial is priceless, and teaches us more about ourselves. As we go through life and face one problem after another, navigate one seemingly impossible task at a time, and discover we can conquer them, we learn there is nothing we can’t face. There is nothing that will stop us. There is nothing that will overcome us. And that knowledge will guide us through anything that comes our way.

Today if you’re facing a situation that seems impossibly difficult, be confident. You can conquer whatever you’re facing. You will find your way through, and in the end, you’ll defeat every obstacle. You are strong and capable of facing anything that comes to you. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Keep moving forward.

Tags: , ,

All Set

13 Oct

Being busy is just part of life.  We have things we need to get done, and things we want to get done, and there are always complications that eat up our time.  We have tasks that keep us busy, and we have goals for things we want to accomplish.  It takes planning to get everything done, and if we aren’t careful, the daily tasks that pop up will take all our focus and we’ll forget about the goals that are waiting in the background.  We can think about our tasks as short term projects, things we have to address now.  The goals we’ve set for our personal growth are generally more long term.  If we want to accomplish them, we need to manage our time, and make a plan so we can succeed.  Our daily chores are important, but our personal goals are important too.  They help us define who we are and who we want to be.  Although we may think of them as a priority, if we don’t take time to plan for them, they may get lost in the shuffle.

If we have a goal that requires significant time like going to the gym for three hours each week, if we want to make it happen, we need to get it onto our schedule.  If we write it down and decide that no matter what comes we are committed to being there, we have a better chance of making it happen.  If our goal is to have more down time by ourselves it may take careful planning to be absent from our routine.  We can figure out how to excuse ourselves, and find a private location where we won’t be disturbed.  If we want to develop a more extensive social life, we can make plans for local events, and if we invite friends to join us their participation will ensure we actually attend.  No matter what the goal is, if we want to achieve it we need a plan.

Sometimes our long range goals involve a financial aspect.  We may not have the funds for them now but if we commit to a date to be ready, make a plan for saving the required amount, and implement it, we’ll be prepared when the time arrives.  If they require a fitness level we haven’t yet achieved, we can start training and maybe work with someone else until we are strong and ready for the event.  There are few things more rewarding than planning for, and accomplishing a long desired goal.  We feel gratified and happy when we realize we did what we set out to do.  Even very difficult challenges may be attained if we work for them, and plan for them.  If we start out believing we will achieve them, and refuse to let complications stand in our way, we’ll get there.  We can do anything we want to, and we can fill our lives with exciting changes and new experiences.  We can reach for the brass ring, and we can grasp it.

Today if you’re thinking about something you want to do, make a plan to achieve it.  Schedule your time to allow for it, and believe that you will accomplish it.  You can make all your dreams come true one step at a time.  Believe in yourself.  Believe you can, and you will.  You have the courage and determination to get this done.  Reach high and stretch.  There isn’t anything you can’t do.

Tags: , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →