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Believing

26 Sep

Some of us are great public speakers and performers. We don’t have any problem getting up in front of others and being the center of attention. Some people climb tall towers as part of their jobs. They aren’t concerned about the height and like the challenge. Some people are firefighters who run into burning buildings to save others, and put the fire out. All of these things require courage. While we may not feel brave enough to climb tall towers, we’re probably great at something else that requires us to be courageous. Most of us have something we aren’t afraid of that makes others cringe with worry. But what about those times when we’re in strange situations, and we have to do something that makes us tremulous? Even if it’s perfectly safe, it’s something we are uncomfortable doing. How do we manage those?

Inside each of us are reserves of confidence and courage. We don’t have to draw on them every day, and we may forget we have them. But if a crisis develops and we absolutely have to do something extraordinary, we can pull from those reserves and get the job done. There are lots of stories about people having super human strength when they had to save someone else. Stories about people doing seemingly impossible things in extreme situations when it was necessary to save a life. The ability to do the extraordinary is within each of us. If a situation arises where we have to step up, we can. We actually do have super powers – when we need them.

Having faith in our ability to use extraordinary gifts is imperative. If we don’t think we can do something, chances are we won’t be able to do it. But if we go forward, determined that no matter what happens we will accomplish the goal, chances are we will do it. A lot depends on how much faith we have in ourselves. If we want to, there really isn’t anything we can’t do. If we want something badly enough, it doesn’t matter what or who is in the way – we’ll figure out how to make it work. Believing in ourselves is imperative to being successful at anything. If we are scared, we can still be courageous. What we believe we can do, we will do.

Today if you’re worried about accomplishing something that seems formidable, have faith in yourself. There isn’t anything you can’t accomplish if you want to. Believe that you have the power to overcome any obstacle and you will overcome them all. Get your head set to go and push forward. You will be successful and amazed at your abilities. You can to anything. Today is the day to make it happen.

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Head and Heart

24 Sep

When we are attracted to someone, we feel excited and happy when they are near. We feel drawn to them and think about them all the time. We want to be with them and we want them to want us in return. We aren’t thinking about logic, we aren’t thinking about being reasonable, we’re thinking with our hearts. We feel compelled to seek them out, and the pull is physical, and emotional. People say the heart wants what the heart wants, and it feels like that’s true. We’re drawn with our hearts in the beginning, but after a while, our heads must enter the picture. We start thinking about the other person more objectively. We start seeing things we missed at first, and we can then determine if a continuing relationship with them is beneficial.

We have a lot to offer. We have many gifts to present. If we want relationships that will endure, and make us happy, we must recognize not only what we bring but what the other person has to offer as well. We deserve the very best relationships possible. We deserve all the good things we want. If we take the time to let our heads evaluate where our hearts have taken us, and then carefully consider what the long term results will likely be, we can make better decisions about who we want to share our lives with. It’s exciting when our hearts are calling the shots, but it’s important that we engage our heads to ensure we’re headed down a road we want to travel.

Sometimes we fall for people who are not good for us. We all have issues, but if we connect with someone whose issues are hurtful to us, who have more problems than we can handle, or who cannot commit, it’s painful. If we’re wise, we’ll look at these situations openly and without reservation or protection, and let the full measure of their impact weigh on us. We need to see everything clearly so we know what’s best for us. There may be times when we have to leave a relationship because the long range prognosis is unhappiness. It’s difficult to leave any relationship, but our happiness is important. We are the only ones who can ensure it. We need to do all we can to make that happen.

Today if you’re evaluating a relationship, keep your eyes open. See everything clearly – all the good and all the bad. Determine what’s best for you. If you decide to continue it, you’ll have a better understanding of where it will take you. If you decide it’s not going where you want, do what is needed to let it go. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s the best decision for you. You deserve the very best. And you can make sure you get it.

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More Than One Way

11 Sep

There are a lot of different ways to look at things.  Some people see a situation one way, others may see it completely differently.  It doesn’t mean either interpretation is wrong, but everything we see and do is colored by our perspectives and our experiences.  When we are looking for solutions to problems there are some who feel there is only one right way to solve it.  It’s hard to convince them there isn’t a paved road to their particular solution, and it can cause some conflict.  But of course, there is rarely only one solution to any problem we face.  More often there are several scenarios that will address the issue and each has its merit.  It’s important to remember that, especially during times when we feel strongly that we have the answer.

No matter where we want to go, there is more than one route and more than one mode of transportation to get us there.  We could drive, we could fly, we could walk or we could ride.  There are main highways, direct routes, back roads, detours, and endless differences in how we get to the destination.  But eventually they will all take us where we want to go.  The scenery may differ, it may take various amounts of time to travel, and our experiences while we’re in transit will be different.  But eventually we will arrive at the destination no matter how we choose to get there, or what route we take.  We understand this when we think about actually going places, but understanding it when we’re solving problems is a little different.

We all feel strongly about certain things.  Some of us take a wide view of things and are laid back with details.  Others of us are precise and prefer things to be planned exactly and predictably.  Neither method is right or wrong.  It’s just a difference in style.  When we have a problem we need to solve and others are involved, if we are strongly convinced that our method is the one true answer, it will be difficult for us to hear other ideas.  But other ideas have value, and there is much to be learned by hearing them, and understanding them.  The best solutions are found when several ideas are considered.  If we focus just on our solution and don’t hear anything else, we miss the opportunity to possibly discover something better.  We all want the best solutions, and hearing other perspectives often leads us to them.

Today if you’re working on a solution to a problem and you are sure you have the best answer, take a minute to explore other possibilities.  Listen to the other ideas presented and be open to seeing how they could work.  Look around and evaluate all the possibilities.  You have great ideas, but so do others.  Be open to them.  You want the very best solution, and that often comes from several sources.  Be creative, and embrace the possibilities.  You might discover that the perfect solution is something different than you first imagined.

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Sticking

4 Sep

When we make decisions and decide we want to do something, there are times when those around us may not agree.  They might not like the decision we’re making or they may think they have a better idea.  We can certainly listen to their opinions, but if we decide the decision is right for us, we are free to hold to it.  Only we know what we want most, and where we want to go.  Others around us, even those who know us well, will never know everything we know about ourselves.  So our decisions are important.  We can make them and stick with them, even if everyone else disagrees.

Our lives are precious and each day we live we choose what we will do, where we will go, and how we will act.  It’s all up to us.  We are influenced by circumstances and those around us, but still we can decide what we’ll do.  Of course, there are some limitations due to the responsibilities we carry.  If we have a job we may not be able to go to the golf course all day.  If we have important commitments, we will have to work around them.  But even with those encumbrances, we still have a lot of freedom to make decisions.  If we are wise, and make our choices based on what’s best for us and what we want most, we will go forward the way we want to.

Everyone has opinions and those close to us sometimes feel they know better than we do what’s best for us.  There is no denying that we make mistakes in judgment from time to time, and if we’re really going the wrong way, we may be cautioned by those who care about us.  We can listen to their warnings and their advice, and if we want something nobody else can see, we can still make the decision.  We are capable of understanding our lives and where our decisions will take us.  If we falter, we’ll correct our course.  Nothing is permanent, and corrections in our direction are always possible.

Today if you’ve made a decision that others don’t agree with, listen to their comments and decide what you want to do most.  If you still believe your decision is the right path for you, stick with it.  You are able to make wise decisions, and if you make a mistake, you will correct it.   You have everything you need to go forward with confidence.  Be bold and be brave.  You can choose anything you want, and you can succeed.

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Worth It

30 Aug

When we’re making decisions about what we want to do, it’s important to remember that everything we do creates a reaction of some sort. There is no free space for decisions. They always affect something – our lives, other people’s lives, our freedom, our finances, and a dozen other possibilities. Some decisions are trivial, like what we’ll have for lunch today, but even that will have a result. If it’s a good lunch for us, we may feel satisfied and happy afterward. If not, we may have another response. For the important decisions, for the heavy matters that weigh on us, it’s very important to consider not just which way to go, but what the ramifications of those decisions may be. Some responses may be predictable, and some may be surprises that come unexpectedly.

We make so many decisions in our lives that we take the process for granted. We look at a situation and pick the answer that looks best, or easiest, or quickest. Sometimes it’s a good decision and things go well, but sometimes there are complications we may not have considered. We can’t know the future so taking a moment to ponder where our decisions might take us is helpful. Our perspective is ours alone and nobody will share it completely. Nobody knows what we need better than we do, but even then we sometimes make mistakes. So, it’s important to think about our decisions before we make them – even the small ones.

If we’re in a relationship with someone and decide things have gotten too intense, we may decide to back up for a time. We don’t want to end the relationship but we want a little space. Explaining that to the other party may be difficult but if we need the time, it should be addressed. The question is, what will be the cost of stepping back? If we are dating the other person and we take some time away, they may find someone else to spend their time with. Are we willing to accept that? If we are in a friendship that has gotten too intense and we want to take a break, if the other person is offended by the request we may not be able to re-establish things afterward. Can we live with that? Everything we do will bring some sort of reaction. It’s important to think about what that may be before we go storming forward.

Today as you make your decisions, take a moment before you decide and think about what the results may be. Let your mind go wide and consider all the possibilities. Nobody can read the future and it’s wise to ponder what could happen before we choose. If the decision is worth whatever may come, go forward. You are capable of making good, wise choices, and only you can determine what’s best for you.

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