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Risking It All

27 Nov

We can do anything we want to do with our lives. We can accomplish monumental tasks, we can plan for success, and we can work to make all our dreams come true. But we can’t DO anything by sitting around thinking about it. We can’t accomplish anything if we’re afraid of the risks and don’t even try. There are risks with everything. What we want might be harder than we first envisioned, it might take longer than we imagined, and despite everything we do, we might fail the first time we try. Sometimes we imagine the risks to be far worse than they turn out to be, but whether real or imagined, we will face them with every endeavor. However, if we’re determined to work on the issue we’ll figure things out as we go. The greatest risk isn’t that things may go wrong. The greatest risk of all is not trying. If we do nothing, we will never succeed at the things we want most. And if we let that happen, if we don’t even try, our lives will never be the lives we desire.

It’s so easy to live in a dream state. We can go through the motions, face our days as they come and just get along. It’s simple and takes very little effort. We can dream of how things could be, we can even spend time planning, but if we do nothing, it means nothing. At some point we have to decide what kind of life we really want. Do we want to take the easy road, play along, go along, and never reach for something more? Or do we want to try, really try, to do the things we dream about? We can do anything we want to. We can make our lives any way we want them to be. But it takes effort. It takes courage, and it takes the willingness to face whatever comes as we move forward. If we aren’t willing to risk whatever it takes to be completely happy, we will never achieve it. We deserve to be happy. We deserve every advantage, but we have to give it to ourselves. We’re the only ones who can make it happen.

What if we try and we fail? What if we get hurt? What if nothing works out the way we thought it would? Can we face that? Of course we can. If we try one way and it fails, we learn what doesn’t work and we can change our plans going forward. Few things are accomplished in the first attempt. But if the first failure ends it for us, if we give up after one loss, we have no chance of success. We don’t have to quit even if everything goes wrong the first time, or the second time, or even if it takes a while to figure it out. We have the stamina and the patience to try again no matter how many times it takes. We can find the way by continuing to go forward. If we keep moving forward step by step, we will find success and achieve the goal.

Today if you’ve been wanting to change something in your life, if you’ve been trying and haven’t yet succeeded, don’t stop. You know more now than you did when you started. You are smarter and more aware of what you need to do. Try again. You will find the answers. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Face whatever risk you must and press forward. The goal is in sight. Keep your focus. You’re almost there.

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Voice Over

25 Nov

We all have our own impressions of this life.  The things we go through, and the experiences we have give uniqueness and color to those impressions. We interpret things our own way and we make personal choices based on who we are and what we want. As we go along we develop our own voices, exclusive to us, and different from anyone else. The impact we have on the world is ours alone to make, and we have both the privilege, and the responsibility to ensure it is heard. We all have something to offer and we can be brave and bold in presenting ourselves. This life flashes by in an instant. It’s important we recognize who we are, and what we want to share, and then go about doing just that. There are some who might try to silence our uniqueness and make us conform to a model they prefer. But we have a true, clear voice, and it needs to be heard.

When painters compose a painting and they want a strong image and excellent texture, they often choose many colors to bring it to life. There are warm, rich tones that bring light to the painting and deep, dark shades that give it foundation and depth. They might try white here and there to add shape, and black for darkness and shadow. Rarely is a remarkable painting made using only one shade or hue. It takes all the colors – all the voices – to bring life to the composition. Like an artist’s palette, it takes all our voices for life to be complete. We need to hear from the realists, the optimists, the pragmatists, and even the pessimists. We all have a version to share, and opinions that bring depth and challenge to our everyday experiences. We have the right to express our voices, even if they are different than what the choir is singing. Our part counts, and needs to be heard.

If we struggle with self-doubt, we may believe our voice isn’t good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to be heard. But we don’t have to be perfect to sing out. We don’t have to know a certain melody, we don’t have to sing in the same key, we don’t even have to sing the same song. The important thing is that we share who we are, and express ourselves. Nobody else knows everything we do, or sees things our way. Our contribution is important. We can be bold in speaking out, and we can be confident. Each voice has depth and color that will bring richness and texture to life. We all have a lot to offer, and our contribution is priceless. Nobody else can offer it but us.

Today if you’ve been keeping quiet, if you’ve let others convince you that your contribution isn’t worthy, don’t believe it. Your voice is needed and valuable. You have so many incredible thoughts inside you. Share with those around you. Open your heart, and let your voice be heard. We need to hear your perspective, and your perceptions. You are a wonderful gift to the world. Sing out. You have a beautiful voice.

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Missed a Step

10 Nov

Mistakes are a part of life. Despite our best efforts, we all make them from time to time. Perfection is the goal, but not the achievement, and so, sometimes we miss a step. When they are huge blunders that affect others, we feel badly, and the clean-up process can take some time. But even when we make small mistakes they can slow down our progress and we may feel frustrated. Mistakes happen and are a natural consequence of trying to find our way. What’s important isn’t the fact that we make them but how we respond to them. If we let them overcome us and undermine our confidence, they can have far reaching consequences. But if we see them for what they are, and learn as much as possible from them, they can, in the end, be blessings in disguise. After all, this life is a learning process and we are going to stumble from time to time.

Since we’re all human, and subject to error, nobody is exempt from occasionally missing the mark. It’s important to remember that when others falter and impact us. Belittling or criticizing because of a mistake will never fix the problem. Most of us don’t want to screw up, and generally try to do our best. But even with the best laid plans, sometimes things go wrong. Perhaps it’s because we didn’t get all the information we needed at the beginning. Or maybe we misjudged a situation and thought things were different than they really were. And there is always the possibility that someone else influences the decision and causes us to fail. There are a thousand ways to bungle every choice we make and none of us is immune.

Learning to be patient when we stumble is sometimes difficult, especially if we’re trying to impress or improve ourselves. It’s hard to face a setback when we’re trying hard to move forward. But the course of our lives will never be exactly even and predictable. We need patience to help us through the bumps. Sometimes it’s easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves, but we deserve the same consideration we extend. We can do everything in our power to make sure our decisions are flawless and sometimes we’ll succeed. But sometimes we are going to falter, and when that happens it’s important to remember all the times we did things well. Nobody is right or wrong all the time. We get some of each – all the time.

Today if you’re feeling bad because you made a mistake, and you’ve lost some confidence, don’t forget all the times you got it right. You make great decisions, and most of the time you succeed. If you’ve had a stumble, correct your course and go forward with courage. You haven’t lost everything. You really can do anything. You know what needs to be done. Stand up straight and start again.

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Fact or Fiction

7 Nov

People have a lot of opinions and some of them involve us. They see us do things or hear us say something and draw conclusions about who we are. Sometimes they’re right, but sometimes their interpretations of what we’re doing are inaccurate. Unfortunately, once they’ve made up their mind about us, they may share their perceptions with others, and before we know it people may think we are someone very different that who we really are. It isn’t always bad. Sometimes they are wrong in ways that make us look better, but other times they may assume we’re doing something inappropriate, wrong, or distasteful. When that happens, we can be hurt by the stories people tell about us. Even when there is no truth to the rumors, they can hurt us, and damage our confidence.

We are the only ones who know who we really are. We share our lives with others, and even when we share ourselves in intimate relationships, nobody can know us like we do. We know our thoughts, our motives, our intentions and we know what we want and what we believe. Our outward actions only tell part of the story, and when they are misread, can tell a story that has nothing to do with the truth. It becomes a question of fact or fiction. We always know the facts but unless we’re clear in expressing them, fiction may take over. Lives can be destroyed by rumors, and spirits can be broken. It’s imperative that we do everything we can not to spread them, and if we are the subject of them, do everything we can to clear up the distortion. We need to speak up and correct any misconceptions, and hold fast to what is real.

There may be times when stories about us, even when they aren’t true, make us question ourselves. After all, if others believe we are a certain way, we might think there must be some truth to it. There is a minute bit of truth in almost all fiction, but that doesn’t make the entire tale true. We need to stand strong in being ourselves. In the end it really doesn’t matter what other people think or what they say about us. If we continue to live our lives authentically, in accordance with our personal goals and desires, those around us, even those who initially believed fiction, will come to know the facts. And when they do, they’ll see us clearly and without misinterpretation.

Today if you’ve been injured by stories about you, if someone misunderstands you or what you’re doing, you can be strong, knowing the truth. You know who you are and any fiction floating around means nothing. Be courageous in being uniquely you. Be open and honest about yourself, and those around you will come to understand exactly how impressive you really are. Live your life exactly as you choose. You are a gift to the world. Never forget that.

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Chopsticks

5 Nov

Every day we live is a chance to experience joy and do something to move us closer to where we want to be. We are in control of our days and the choices we make. When we choose well, we are content, but sometimes things don’t go exactly the way we want them to. Imagine you are holding one chopstick that represents your day today. As long as you hold onto it you’re in control and you can do anything you want. But if you give it away to someone else, they will be in charge for the day. We all want to be in control of our days, so it seems foolish to hand them over to anyone else. But if we let the hurt or pain caused by someone else control us, that is exactly what we do. We give our day away. While it’s true that some wounds don’t heal right away, each day we let the disappointment, pain, fear, or anger control our lives, we give that day to the person or situation that caused it. And the irony is that those who have hurt us usually have no idea they have control.

Pain is a part of life. We can’t prevent it, we can’t escape it, we can only process it and move through it. If we lived alone on an isolated, deserted island, everything would be in our control. But we live with others, and their decisions, for better or worse, affect our lives. We bump into each other, we annoy each other, and we sometimes hurt each other. Of course, we also love each other, we share joy, and we embellish each others’ lives. It’s a mixed bag. When we get hurt, and don’t heal right away, we grieve until we’re able to move on. That’s normal. But if we let the hurt define our lives, if we let it keep us from moving forward, and are unable to let it go, we give our lives away to it. Our lives are important. They count. We have a lot to offer. Losing even one day is a great loss.

Getting over serious pain or disappointment isn’t easy. It takes work, and it takes time. How much time it takes depends on a lot of factors. Only we can decide when to let it go and begin to move forward. We can hold onto it for as long as we like but each day we do, we have to symbolically give up our chopstick, and the control over our lives. In some situations it takes considerable time to process everything, and not having control isn’t an issue. But in time, if we want to be happy again, if we want to move forward, we will have to heal and take control again. Life can be complicated. It can extremely joyful, or desperately sad. Nobody knows what each day will bring, but we can face whatever comes. We can overcome any disappointment, any disaster, and any loss. And when we’re ready, we can recover and guide our lives to where we most want to be.

Today if you’ve been struggling with something that has been so difficult you’ve been stopped in your tracks, think about the way forward. You have so much to offer. Take the first step in regaining your control. Own your day today. Hang on tight. Lift your head and look forward. There is a road waiting for you. You have everything you need to get to it, and by taking the very first step you’ll find your way back to happiness again.

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