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Making Room

10 Oct

I once read a story about a man whose wife gave him a new winter coat every Christmas.  It wasn’t that she couldn’t think of anything else to give him or that he wanted a new coat every year.  It was because he needed a new one every Christmas.  You see, he had decided when he was younger that because he had enough to care for himself and his family, he wanted to do something for someone less fortunate.  So, every Christmas he invited a local impoverished man to join his family for Christmas dinner.  Sometimes they were homeless, sometimes not, but they never had sufficient for their needs.  They lived in a northern location, and the winters were often very cold.  During the Christmas celebration the guest was included in every conversation and activity, and made to feel welcome.  Once the meal ended and before the guest would leave, the host would present him with his warm winter coat.  There were often tears of gratitude and amazement at the man’s generosity.  The coat was the most wonderful gift that could be given in a bitterly cold winter, and as the guest would leave hugs and words of encouragement would be exchanged.  Afterward, the man’s wife would present him with her Christmas present of a new winter coat for the coming year.

Extending ourselves and making room for others in our lives is perhaps the most precious gift we can give.  It requires us to look outside ourselves, and see those around us.  It doesn’t always have to be gift, it doesn’t have to be money, it may just be time.  Perhaps just saying hello, listening, and being a friend is all that’s needed.  Sometimes we might help out with something that is difficult.  Or we might offer to help with transportation for a meeting or appointment.  There are millions of people in the world, but there are times when we all feel isolated and alone.  If we can extend ourselves just a little to those around us, we may eliminate those feelings in a small way.  If we all worked together, the world would be a warmer and more welcoming place.

Making room in our lives isn’t hard, but it does take commitment.  Many of us have a little time we can spare, but even if time is limited, it doesn’t take much to say hello and ask how someone is doing.  Of course there are big, international projects we may get involved in if we like.  There is always a lot of need in the world.  But if those big projects aren’t possible, we can simply commit to being kind and welcoming to those around us. If we have possessions we no longer use, we could offer them to someone who needs them.  We might offer our homes to those who need a place to stay, food to those who are hungry, or a smile to those who are sad.  If we make it a priority to extend ourselves, we can be a light in the darkness, and we can lift those around us.

Today as you do all the things you need to do, take a moment to look at those around you.  Is there some way you might offer something positive?  Is there some small favor you could do?  If there is, extend yourself in friendship and kindness.  Nobody likes feeling alone and sad.  You have the power to lift someone around you and be a light.  Today, offer your hand and your help.

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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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Coming Up Short

25 Aug

We all want to feel strong and confident, and able to face whatever comes our way. We try hard, we work hard, and we hope we have what it takes no matter what comes. Nobody likes feeling impotent and weak, but none of us is perfect and there are going to be times when we will feel overwhelmed, and unable to cope. We tend to be harder on ourselves than we are on others. We expect to be able to do whatever is needed, when it’s needed, and do it effectively and well. When we can’t accomplish that, we might feel bad, and we may think we’ve failed.

We all have shortcomings. We have some things we do well, some things we do very well, and some things that trip us up. Nobody is good at everything. We want to do everything well, but sometimes that’s not possible. So we have to learn to be patient and understand we all have weaknesses. We can learn, we can grow, and we can develop new skills that will help us move forward. We are able to change anything we want. But while we’re learning something new, we need to accept that it’s not going to happen overnight. It will take time, and generally it takes more time than we want.

Accepting ourselves as we are is important. Where we are is fine for today. But we aren’t frozen in time, and we aren’t stuck with the patterns we have. We can move forward, and we can change to become anything we want to be. If we’re not happy with a facet of our personality, we can change it. We can work on it and practice a new behavior until it becomes second nature, and part of who we are. It takes focus and time, but nothing is impossible if we want it enough. We have to be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and we aren’t going to change in one either.

Today if you’re disappointed with where you are, if you want more, or if you want to be different in some way, begin doing what is needed to change. You are capable of doing anything you want. You can be happy, you can feel confident, and you can be strong. You have all the tools you need. You are capable of great things. Set the goal and start walking toward it. Before you know it you’ll be where you want to be. This is your life. You are the artist and you can design it any way you want. Whatever you design will be perfect for you.

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Healing Time

24 Aug

We all get hurt sometimes. We can be hurt physically and it takes time to heal. If we are hurt badly it may take a long time to heal. With our bodies, how long it takes for us to recover is often directly related to the level of impact. If we get a bump on the head, we may be fine in a day or so. If we get a concussion, it could take a long time before everything is better again. The same is true with our emotions. If we get our feelings hurt, we might recover pretty quickly, but if we get our hearts broken or someone betrays us, it takes longer to heal. Great wounds can take a long time, and sometimes we may think we’ll never fully recover.

Human beings are incredibly resilient. We are flexible and can adapt to almost any situation. That doesn’t mean adapting is easy, it just means we can accomplish it. But while we’re figuring out how to cope, it may take a lot of strength, and courage just to face our days. Even though we know intellectually we’ll eventually solve the problem, and put it behind us, there may be times when it can seem impossible. When we are devastated, sometimes we feel like there’s no hope. But that is an illusion. There is always hope. Given enough time, we will heal, no matter what we’re facing.

It’s hard to be positive when we feel bad. It’s hard to look forward and see the possibility of happiness again. It’s hard to trust ourselves to open the door to new possibilities. But everything is life changes. Nothing is permanent except death, so if we’re still alive we can do whatever we need to. Today may seem bleak and dark, but tomorrow the sun will rise, and we will continue to move closer to where we want to be. Eventually our distress will ease, and our confidence will return. One day we’ll realize we feel happy again. No matter what we go through, no matter how hard it is, we will move through it. Nothing is permanent. Everything will change.

Today if you’re trying to get through a difficult time, if you feel hopeless and lost, remember this is just one day. Even if it’s a bad day, it will only last for this one day. Tomorrow will be different. Keep going forward. There isn’t anything you can’t handle. There isn’t anything you can’t overcome. You are as strong as you need to be. Time is on your side. And time will heal everything.

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In the Circle

30 Jul

We all have a circle of friends and family that we spend time with. Our circles are filled with people we’ve come to trust, and share our lives with. They can change from time to time as people move in and out of our lives, but we enjoy those we keep close, and appreciate our association with them. Our circles are ours to design and fill with the ones we most want to be around. If we like, we can close the circle off and keep new people from joining us. Some of us like that idea, and the stability of keeping everything the same. But it’s important to think about keeping our circles open. Our lives change from day to day, and there are endless opportunities to meet new people and engage them. If we develop new friendships and allow new people to share our lives, we will be enhanced and enriched.

There are countless varieties of personalities and individual traits in the human race. And each and every one of them has something to offer. When we have dinner, it’s wonderful to have a delicious, savory meal, and then at the end have something light and sweet. If all we had were the sweets, we would miss the pleasure of the savory. The contrasts are what make the meal special. It’s the same with us as people. It’s the differences that make everything rich. People who are like us may make us feel comfortable, but those who are different from us enrich us with new experiences, and new interpretations. If we keep our circles open just a little, and allow new relationships to enter, we will gain a broader understanding of life.

It’s easy to close our lives up, and keep things predictable. We can stick with the same people, go to the all the same places, drive the same kind of car, etc. But if we are able to open up just a little and let new ideas in, let new people get close to us, and allow ourselves to embrace new points of view, our perceptions will deepen, and we will learn more than we may have thought possible. It’s wonderful to meet new people, and it’s interesting when they share their differing viewpoints with us. This life is a great experiment. The more variables we allow, the more we’ll learn.

Today if you feel you’ve kept your life closed in a little, take a chance and open your circle a bit wider. Get to know new friends. Exchange new ideas, and be receptive to differences. Your world will get more expansive, your perceptions will get broader, and you will be richer. Extend your hand. Be welcoming. The more friends and family you let into your circle the greater your life will be.

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