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The Two Step

21 Jun

Few things in life go as planned when we start out. Rarely do we go from one point to another in a perfectly straight line with no deviations. Even if we know exactly where we want to go and are confident we know how to get there, obstacles will often arise that impede our path. It’s like doing the two step. We go forward for a while and then have to step to the side. Or we have to step back for a time and wait. It can be frustrating as we deal with whatever detour or complication has presented itself and when we finally get things worked out again we’re eager to get back on track. It seems so easy when we’re making our plans. We just need to go forward and get to the goal. But life is complex and there are a lot of things happening all the time. While we’re making plans, so is everyone else. And there are many things outside our control. It’s true that we can accomplish almost anything we set out to do. But it’s also true that straight lines in this life rarely exist. That doesn’t mean we can’t get where we want to go but it does mean we may have to adjust again and again along the way.

When we’re impatient to achieve something and eager to move ahead, complications in our way are frustrating. In our desire to move forward we may simply shove our way through problems and try to keep going. However, rushing through any development often leads to further difficulties if we’ve neglected to resolve the issue before moving on. It’s hard to slow down and process every problem to find the best solution when we’re eager to move past it, but brushing them off with a cursory glance won’t allow us to resolve them and they may pop up again. If we stop and look at each development clearly, and take the time to completely resolve it we have a better chance of leaving it behind for good. Loose ends have a way of tangling our progress. If we tie them up and close them off, we can let them go and move on.

When we’re making plans to achieve anything it’s important to look at everything that may prevent us from success. Sometimes because we’re in a hurry or determined to get to the goal we may miss some important cues to watch out for. It’s rare that any plans we make won’t involve others in some way. It’s important to plan for how that involvement will work and how to navigate any complications it may cause. Just like taking a road trip we have to make sure the tires are in good shape, we have plenty of gas, our GPS is set or we have a map to get us through any detours, and we know exactly where we’re going to end up. There are always many things to consider when we choose a destination and there will always be unexpected surprises. Planning for them and expecting them will help us get to our goal. Straight lines are nice but learning to bend with the curves can be critical. We can do the two step and do it well. We can bend and turn and weave and dance, and still get to the goal.

Today if you’re trying to move forward but there is something blocking your way, stop and resolve it completely. Take the time to make sure all the loose ends are taken care of and then continue on. There isn’t anything you can’t manage. You know where you want to go and you have everything you need to get there.

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Here a Little

13 Jun

Life teaches us many things.  Sometimes we learn what we need right away and adjust our lives accordingly.  Other times the lessons take a long time to understand.  When we’re navigating change we may wish we could learn everything we need immediately and move on but it doesn’t always work that way.  Change is a process and doesn’t usually happen overnight.  We can’t see all the adjustments we need to make from where we are to where we want to be.  We have to grow into each step and as we do our vision is clarified for what’s next.  There is no way to see everything we need to do or all we need to learn going forward at the beginning.  We get a little here and a little there and piece by piece we gain the attributes we’re seeking.  Here a little and there a little will bring us success.  There may be times in our lives when everything changes all at once but those are very rare.  Generally we move forward inch by inch and as we do we learn everything we need to move forward confidently.

In our busy lives if we have a lot going on we often try to take the fastest routes possible.  We may try to do two things at once and call it multi-tasking although it’s been proven we really can only concentrate on one thing at a time.  But still we may try and although we’re moving forward, we may miss a step here and there.  When a lot is expected of us or we’re in a time crunch we might cut a corner to get to the finish line in time.  But the corners are there for a reason and sometimes when we cut them we miss an important part of what we’re trying to accomplish.  Going fast doesn’t always mean doing well.  Getting the job done is only one piece.  Getting it done well is what brings satisfaction.

When we try to learn something new we have to take it step by step.  If we’re learning to ski we don’t start on the expert run and hope we’ll learn how as we fly down the hill.  But if we want to learn something badly or we’re in a hurry to achieve the accomplishment we may feel impatient taking it step by step.  However if we want to learn the lesson well, whatever it is, step by step is the only way.  We can learn a little here, and as we move forward we’ll learn a little more.  Making the most of each turn, and seeing everything completely and openly will allow us to gain the most from what we’re experiencing.  We can climb every mountain, learn every lesson, and achieve every success little by little.  Learning our lessons well the first time prevents us from making mistakes and having to return to learn them again.  If we take the time needed to make the change well, we can move forward with confidence and completely integrate the change into our lives.  Here a little and there a little will bring success.

Today if you’re impatient with your progress and want to skip to the finish line, remember that each step along the way has something to teach you.  If you learn everything you can as you move along you’ll be successful in gaining the most from your experiences.  Learn all you can as you move forward.  Your understanding will be magnified and your growth will reflect that.

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The Ladder

6 Jun

Ambition is putting a ladder against the sky.  American Proverb
 
When we want something we don’t have or want to achieve something higher than where we are we have ambition.  We believe we can do what is needed to succeed and set our sights on the goal.  Ambition is greater than hope because we put effort into gaining the achievement.  Having ambition is like climbing a ladder.  When we need to reach something higher than where we are we can use a ladder.  We lean it against something sturdy and safely climb higher to reach the goal.  Ambition is like setting a ladder against the sky.  The sky has no end and there is no limit to what we can achieve.  Having ambition allows us to dream of something more, something higher or greater.  It enables us to stretch further and see how far we can go.  We can try to reach anything we want.  We can push ourselves to become more, and when we do we learn more about who we are and discover what we’re capable of.  We can do anything.  We can set the ladder against the sky and scale it as high as we like.

Anything worth having is worth working for.  Nothing of value comes to us without effort.  If we stand still and coast through our lives, we will never achieve our full potential.  We are capable of doing more than we believe we can but we won’t find our real limits unless we push forward.  If we want to we can simply coast through our lives.  Coasting is effortless movement.  It might take us in the direction we want to go but it’s susceptible to the winds of change and the decisions of others.  If we do nothing to direct our course and simply allow life to carry us, we will go places but they may not be the places we want to be.  And because there is no effort we won’t become stronger.  When we have no rudder we can’t steer our ship or choose a destination.  If we allow ourselves to simply be driven by all the forces around us, we have no idea where we’ll end up.

Our lives belong to us.  They are ours and ours alone.  It doesn’t matter what other people think we should be doing.  What matters is what we choose to do.  Choosing to do nothing is a choice we can make if we want to.  But we only get one shot at this life and wasting even one day is a loss we can never recover.  We know what we want our lives to be like.  We know what we want.  We have the power to aim high and achieve anything we like.  We can direct our course to the destinations we choose and we can turn our ship at any time.  If we anchor our progression with effort and planning we can succeed.  There isn’t anything we can’t do.  Every dream can become a reality if we do what it takes to achieve it.

Today if there is something you want to gain, someplace you want to go, or something you want to achieve, set your sights on the goal and begin moving toward it.  You have all the ambition and drive you need to make it yours.  Start moving toward the destination and soon you’ll see it just ahead.  There isn’t anything you can’t do.  Set your ladder and start climbing.

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Where We’re Headed

12 May

There are all kinds of destinations we can choose as we live our lives. We can decide to accomplish anything we want, go anywhere we like and become the people we most want to be. But sometimes where we think we’re headed isn’t exactly where we’re going. We may think we want something, even plan to get it, but then get on a road that will never take us to it. It might happen because although the goal sounds good to us we aren’t really sure it’s what we want. Or maybe others have suggested it’s what’s best, but we aren’t convinced. We can pretend to be going one way, and really move forward another. If there is pressure for us to be a certain way and achieve certain things we might go along and act as though they are important to us even if they aren’t. But doing that leaves us with no direction at all. It’s impossible to go to two places at the same time. If we’re pretending to go east and really want to go west, we may sit still and go nowhere. We can decide what direction is best for us and no matter what others or situations suggest we can always go our own way. But first we have to decide where our true destination lies. After that we can chart our course and begin the journey.

We live in a world with lots of influences. Our families may have ideas about what’s best for us, our friends may voice their opinions, our lovers may tell us what they think we should do, our bosses may direct us, and society itself may make us feel pressure in one direction or another. We can listen to all the opinions and ideas but in the end we must choose what is right for us. Making that choice can be more difficult if we aren’t sure where we want to go. With so many possibilities, and so many options many of which look good, it can be hard to determine what we want most. But if we take the time to think about where we want to go and how we want to get there our direction will become clear. We have all the courage and determination we need to accomplish anything we like. Once we decide what we really want, there really isn’t anything strong enough to stop us.

Journeys can be complicated. We rarely get from point A to point B by going in an unbreakable straight line. Life enters in, complications arise, we get side tracked, there are detours ahead, and a million things can come up that skew our direction. But if we keep our eyes focused on the goal and are determined to get there, no matter what happens we will press forward and get back on the road. We don’t have to rush, and we don’t have to give up when it gets hard. We can keep moving forward step by step until we reach the destination. How long it takes to get there isn’t important. The important thing is that we’re headed in the right direction.

Today if you’ve been uncertain about which way you want to go, stop and decide what you want most. Things will clarify and you’ll find your direction. Then chart your course and start moving forward. There isn’t anything you can’t accomplish. The road may be long but you are strong enough to walk it. Keep your eyes focused forward and you’ll reach your destination. You have everything you need to succeed.

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Not This Again

27 Apr

We learn a lot as we go through our lives. Each day brings opportunities to learn new things, develop new skills and new behaviors. Sometimes trials come upon us and we try to overcome them, or solve them, or just try to get through them. But we all have lessons to learn. If we learn what is needed to get through a situation, we can move forward. No matter what problems come upon us, they aren’t permanent and will eventually go away again. However, if we didn’t learn anything from the experience, and only endured it until it changed, odds are good we’ll get to go through it again. Life has a way of looping our problems back around when we don’t figure out how to solve them.  If we never change our patterns or response to an issue, it may become a recurring nightmare. Given that, it’s in our best interest to try and not only endure our problems, but take the time to figure out why we have them, and then do what is needed to solve them once and for all.

Practice is the key to proficiency in most cases. When we’re learning a new skill the more we do it, the better we get at it. Repetition helps us remember how things are done and effectively teaches us new patterns. But repetition in our problems isn’t always pro-active. Having the same problem over and over doesn’t make us better people. It doesn’t make us proficient at anything but going through the same thing again and again. If we find ourselves in a familiar situation that is unpleasant and difficult to manage, the familiarity is our clue that we have something to learn. If we look at the situation objectively we can identify what we need to do to prevent it from returning.  Identifying the underlying issue is just the first step though. After we see what needs to change to prevent the same problem from recurring, we must adopt the change to end it. Just understanding what causes the situation is never enough. If we want to stop repeating the same behaviors, we actually have to stop repeating the same behaviors.

We are in charge of our lives. Sometimes the difficult issues we face over and over again come to us because of our associations with others. Perhaps they aren’t the best influence in our lives, maybe they have personal issues that impact us, or maybe they exercise authority over us in unproductive ways. If contact with them brings us hardship we may choose to distance ourselves from them or eliminate our interactions altogether. If the relationship is important to us, or has been in our lives for a long time, that decision may be difficult. We don’t want to hurt others but it’s important to recognize when our relationships are hurting us. If they are, we can modify them so we can move forward. We know what we need better than anyone else. If we need a change, we can make it. We are completely capable of managing our lives in positive and beneficial ways that bring us happiness and peace.

Today if you’re facing the same problem you’ve faced before and want to move forward, look at the situation clearly and see what you need to do to change. You can make any change you need to be happy. You are capable of understanding what needs to be done. Learn everything you can this time around and solve the problem once and for all. Look ahead and see where you want to be. And then, do what it takes to get there.

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