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Low Tide

23 Feb

There are a lot of distractions in life. We are busy and there is a lot going on all the time. When we’re rushing around and have much to accomplish sometimes our focus can get away from us as we hurry to the next item on the list. If we aren’t living where we are, and in our heads have already moved on to the next stop, we can’t see what’s in front of us. When that happens, we may do something we don’t mean to because we aren’t paying attention to where we are. Maybe we drive through a red light, or forget the one important appointment we didn’t want to miss, or in our rush neglect someone we meant to pick up. We may even get so caught up we completely lose track of where we’re going. It’s like docking a boat on the shore and rushing to explore forgetting the time only to come back and find the tide has gone out and our boat is sitting on sand. What do we do now? Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes. We can try to fix them and if our boat is sitting in the sand we can figure out how to get it back into the water. It might not be easy, and it’ll probably take more time than we planned but it can be done. However it’s a lot easier to plan ahead and carefully pay attention than it is to clean things up after they’ve gone wrong.

Life would be so much easier if all we had to do was get from point A to point B, and there was a perfectly straight, paved road to take us there. But we don’t live in dreamland, we live in the real world where there are phones ringing, people pressing for our time, too many things to do, and traffic. Because there are so many things going on if we want to keep our boats in the water, we have to pay attention. We can get anywhere we need to be and do anything we need to do. But we may not succeed if we’re thinking about the next thing on the list instead of what we need to do now. Learning to live in the moment is imperative to success. Perhaps you’ve known someone who talks about what they’re going to do after this happens or that happens, and are always living in the future. We do the same thing when we’re thinking about what’s coming next instead of what we’re doing now. It’s an easy habit to fall into when we’ve got a lot to do. But we can discipline ourselves enough to keep our minds in the present situation. And if we do we’ll accomplish our tasks more effectively and efficiently because they will be our focus.

Some people are lucky enough to have a staff. Maybe they have a personal assistant to take care of all the annoying time consuming errands that must be accomplished, or they have a driver who can get them where they need to be while they relax and enjoy the ride. But most of us don’t have those extravagances and it’s up to us to do everything on our own. We can do anything that is required if we plan carefully and pay attention. If we make a plan when we’re busy and then carefully work it, we’ll be more successful than if we just let things roll forward one after the other. We need to be in the moment and keep our eyes open. And if we master those skills we’ll find that not only do we get everything done and keep our boats floating happily in the surf, but we’ll be happier and less stressed as the day goes by.

Today if you have a lot to do and you feel overwhelmed and distracted, stop and take a moment to plan your way forward. Take each task as it comes and focus on completing it. Then move on to the next. Before you know it you’ll have completed a successful day and be happy with your accomplishments. You are capable of so much. You can do anything and you can do it well. Plan ahead, keep your eyes focused, and you’ll succeed.

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Straight Lines

10 Feb

Our lives don’t usually travel in straight lines. As we move forward, perhaps we take one road and hit a detour, and then turn our course toward another direction. Sometimes we change direction several times until we find our way. We learn as we go, and as we’re learning we modify where we’re headed. At first we might think we know the way, but after several complications make an adjustment. Most things we accomplish are done through trial and error. The errors aren’t permanent road blocks, but merely indications that some correction is needed. Generally the only time we move forward in a straight line is when we’re traveling a road we’ve already conquered. When we’ve been there before, we know the way and it’s easy to get from the beginning to the end. But when we want to go somewhere new, it’s all up for grabs. Maybe this way will work, may that. It doesn’t matter how many times it takes us to find the direction that works. What matters is that we don’t quit when the first road doesn’t take us there.

If we want to do something and the first time out doesn’t work, we don’t have to continue. We can quit. If we didn’t find our way the first time we may decide that trying again isn’t worth the effort. Our lives belong to us and we can manage them any way we like. But if we really want to get somewhere, and it’s important to us, we can try again. The great thing about life is we get unlimited chances to figure things out. We are where we are at any given moment. We know what we’ve learned so far and when we’re reaching for something new there will be situations we haven’t yet faced. We won’t know the perfect way to get there, and sometimes don’t know how much effort it will take. But we do know where we want to go, and knowing that will give us the temerity and courage to find our way.

Failure doesn’t happen when we don’t find our way the first time. Failure only happens when we give up and quit trying. We can get lost again and again and again, but if we reset our direction and try one more time, we haven’t failed. We’ve learned more than we knew when we started out, we’ve discovered what doesn’t work, and we can keep refining things until we get to the destination. There are lots of different roads to every destination. If we keep going, turning here when needed, redirecting there when we reach a detour, we will find our way. We are creative and strong enough to keep going. If the goal is important, it really doesn’t matter how many times it takes us to reach it. What’s important is that we keep going until we succeed. And when we’ve achieved a difficult goal, when we’ve finally mastered everything we need to be successful we will feel great accomplishment, and our confidence will soar. There really isn’t anything we can’t do if we want to badly enough. We can climb mountains, build cities, master new skills, and become the person we most want to be. Everything is available to us. All we have to do is keep going. There is no road too long to travel, no journey too hard to conquer, and no goal too lofty to reach. We can do anything.

Today if you’ve been trying to accomplish something and haven’t found the right road yet, keep trying. It’s there and you will see it. Every road you’ve taken so far has brought you closer to where you want to be. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Try again. The goal is just around the next bend. It’s waiting for you and you will reach it. Don’t stop. You have everything you need to succeed.

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Shortcuts

1 Feb

When we’re going places and we want to save time, sometimes we try shortcuts we think will help. They might help us avoid traffic, or cut the distance down to get us to our destination more quickly. They’re great when they work, but sometimes the shortcuts become complications instead. When that happens it’s frustrating and can cost us more time than the direct route would have. Our brilliant shortcut can turn into a headache. Our lives are like that sometimes. We know where we want to go and we have the road mapped out but then think we can find a way to cut some of the time out by eliminating a step or two, or going a different way. Sometimes it works, but many times it ends up costing us more time and aggravation than we planned on. It’s like get rich schemes. They look good at first and we get excited thinking about how quickly they’ll get us what we want, but often they end up costing us more time and money in the long run. We can’t see that going in, and unless we stop to think about what will happen if we don’t get rich quick, we can lose more than we bargained for.

Every destination has a road leading to it. We can go anywhere we want to go and sometimes we go on long journeys that take a lot of time and commitment. But the most important things we want to accomplish in our lives rarely come quickly. They take effort, planning, and diligence. We have to be willing to stay true when the inevitable complications come, and be strong enough to keep going. If we want the goal badly enough, nothing will take us from our course. But we might be distracted by a shortcut. For instance, we might think we don’t have to finish a degree to get that job, and try to learn the skills needed more quickly in another way. Or maybe we think we don’t have to earn a promotion by working hard for the next year, and instead try to befriend those in position to grant it. There are all kinds of scenarios we can think up. But in reality, short cuts for what we really want rarely work. Additionally, they take our focus off the plans we’ve already made. If we get distracted trying a different route, we can’t go further down the road that’s proven to get us there.

It takes patience to accomplish big goals. We can’t expect to achieve anything of value overnight. There are no get rich schemes that always work. If we really want something and there is a proven and sure way to get to it, even if it takes time, it’s worth the investment. We can spend our lives like bees in a field of flowers, flitting from one idea to the next, one path to another, and continually try to cut corners and find shortcuts. If we do, we may find precious time goes by and we have moved no closer to the goal. However, if we focus on one road, and keep our eyes trained on the destination we will succeed. It’s like the old story of the tortoise and the hare and the race they ran against each other.  As you may recall when the race began the hare took off and rocketed ahead, while the tortoise slowly began plodding along toward the finish line. The hare got distracted running here and there and jumping all over, and was way faster than the tortoise, but the tortoise never left the path to the destination. He slowly continued forward never taking his eyes from the goal. And we all know that’s exactly how he won. That’s how we’ll win too. We don’t need a shortcut to succeed. If we set the goal, make a plan, and diligently keep to the road that will take us there, we will not fail.

Today if you’ve got a goal in sight and are considering changing your plan and trying a shortcut, make sure it’s something that will continue to move you forward. There is no rush, and you can take the time you need to achieve whatever you want. There is nothing that will stop you if you keep your eyes on the goal. Keep moving forward. You will be successful and every moment you invest in gaining that success will be well spent.

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Our Truest Life

1 Jan

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” Henry David Thoreau

When we’re young we dream of what we’ll become when we grow up. We have fantastic fantasies about being ballerinas, astronauts, race car drivers, famous singers, and a thousand other ideas. Sometimes those dreams come true, but often because we don’t know what’s involved in realizing them, they change. Years later as we progress through our lives, learn new things, and learn about ourselves, we get a better picture of who we really are. But even then, because of the complications of life and choices we make, sometimes we don’t end up where we want to be. The roads we want to travel may be obscured by the choices of others around us, or decisions we make that take us to other destinations, or even by time itself. Sometimes we wake up and look at where we are and wonder how we got there. Of course, it’s easy to see how one turn took us to another, and how each step altered our course, but even then, when we realize we’re not where we want to be, it’s disconcerting. Life is a force and if we don’t take control of it, our days will play out and determine our direction. If we want to live our truest life, the one we really want, we have to take control. We have to wake up, look at the road we’re on, and decide which way to go from there.

Living life on “auto pilot” is easy. We’ve all done it from time to time. We get into routines, we know what to expect, and we just go through the motions. But if we live our lives that way, after a time we may forget that we have control and can determine our direction. We can decide what we want and then make choices that will bring success. We can do anything, but we won’t get where we want to be if we don’t take control. Routines can be like fog rolling in. At first we can still see our way forward and it’s just a slight annoyance. But if we let them take over our lives, the path we’re looking for becomes obscured and difficult to see. We might even stop looking because we’ve been on the same road for so long a new choice may be intimidating. But this life only comes around once. We only get one shot at today. We can play along and stay in the fog, or we can step out and forge the road we really want to travel.

Are we living our truest life? We have the power to live the life we want most. However, before we can achieve it, we must first define it. Is what we’re doing today what we really want? Is this the life that will bring us true satisfaction and happiness? If it isn’t, what is needed to change it? We can change anything in our lives that we want to. We can step off the road we’ve been traveling and move in a new direction. We can point our compass toward what we want most and turn our course. We have sufficient control over our choices and our lives to make any change we want to make. If we aren’t happy where we are, if we don’t feel fulfilled, if this isn’t where we want to be, we have the power to change it. We don’t need the approval of others and we don’t need permission. This life is ours to direct and we can go wherever we choose, and become the person we want to be.

Today if you feel like you’re on the wrong road, that you aren’t living your truest life, that you aren’t where you want to be, you can change things. Decide where you want to go and what you want to do, and then begin to modify your direction and revise your plan. You can do anything. You can make your dreams a reality. Be who you really are and bless the world with your unique gifts. There is nobody else like you. Live your truest life today.

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Falling Up

3 Dec

When we’re busy and in a rush and focused on a goal, if we go too fast we can miss a step, and see nothing but the road ahead. We may ignore those around us, and even push them out of the way.  Maybe in an effort to get our point across in a hurry we interrupt conversations, or leave a situation too quickly. It might work for a while but eventually our negligence may catch up with us. In our rush to get done, or to finish first, we might fall down. There is nothing wrong with trying to accomplish things, or trying to move up in our lives. But if all we see is the destination and fail to notice what’s going on around us, if we don’t see the journey in our rush to get to the end, we’ll miss a lot. We might get done first, and we might beat the clock, but the damage we leave behind may hurt us in the end. Getting to the goal is only one aspect of where we need to concentrate. It’s important to get to the destination effectively, to pay attention, and not leave a trail of destruction behind us.

Nobody knows everything or can foresee the future. When we’re pushing forward, the person blocking our path may be the very one who has the answers we’re looking for. They may know exactly what we need to do and where we should put our best efforts. If we push them aside and rush past, if we don’t listen when they talk to us because we’re sure we already know what to do, the opportunity for their advice will be lost. We don’t really know where our paths will lead us or where we’ll be tomorrow or next week or next year. The very person who could advise us today, may be our leader, or co-worker, or benefactor tomorrow. If we haven’t taken time to notice them, or listen when they speak to us, and if we haven’t heard their advice, it may damage our relationship in the future. It’s hard for people to trust those who dismiss them. We all have something of value to offer. If we diminish advice when it’s offered, or ignore it completely, we may not get a second chance to benefit from it.

When we want to succeed, and really want to shine, we can try to do it alone, or we can include others in our efforts. If we’re overconfident, and determined to get it done by ourselves, we miss the chance to learn from others. There is more experience and knowledge out there than we’ll ever have by ourselves. It’s in our best interest to reach for it, and then patiently listen when it’s being offered. Most people are happy to share what they’ve learned. Since we only have our lives, and can only rely on our personal experiences, it’s wise to listen when others are willing to share theirs with us. They will be different than ours, and may contain the one piece of advice we need to succeed. If we stop rushing for a moment, and listen, we may be surprised by what we’ll learn. Then instead of falling down when we make a wrong turn, we can fall up as we go the right way. Up or down it’s our decision.

Today if you’ve been doing things your way, by yourself, perhaps take a moment to share your focus with someone else and let them share their experiences with you. Ask for advice. You may learn something that will get you to your goal more quickly and efficiently. Asking doesn’t mean you can’t do it on your own. It means you’re willing to learn. And learning new things is always a good idea. Be open. You have a lot of answers already. Today if you include someone else, you’ll get even more.

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