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Brand New

16 Mar

There comes a time in life when we may want to do something new. If we’ve been on the same road for a long time perhaps we are bored or no longer feel challenged. Maybe we feel we’ve done all we can in our current endeavor and want something more. Taking on a new challenge may bring us great refreshment and great change. We can set out on a new road at any time and go forward with confidence. We all have dreams but life can take over if we aren’t careful. We may find ourselves on a road we never really intended to travel because of chance or circumstance. Perhaps a job we took twenty years ago, because it was all we could find, may have turned into a career we never really wanted. There are all kinds of things that happen that create scenarios we may fall into that become habit or patterns in our lives we really didn’t choose. If we aren’t where we want to be we can change our plans, redirect our course and redesign our lives. It’s never too late to change. We only need to decide we are ready and begin. The world belongs to us. We can do anything we want to do and go anywhere we want to go. We are not shackled by restraints so powerful they cannot be changed. Our lives belong to us and when we’re ready, we can try something new.

Routines are great when we want predictability in our lives. We know what to do, we know when to do it and we know where to go. There is nothing wrong with having a life that is settled and familiar so long as it’s the life we really want. But if we yearn for something more, something different or something new, we can turn as we move forward and step away from the norm. There are millions of things to do and learn in life and we can try as many as we like. Everything is available to us and if we want something new, we can get it.

Some people live their lives wide open, trying different things all the time and pushing themselves to learn new ideas every day. If we want lives like that we may certainly have them but we don’t have to change everything to have a new experience. We can take one step away from our normal behavior and try one idea at a time. We can reach for something new and see how it fits and then reach for something else. There really isn’t anything we can’t do and we may embellish our lives any way we choose. Each day is a blessing and there is so much to see and learn. We can stretch a little further and try something new, and see the world a little differently. Our lives can be as full and rich as we want them. We need only decide we are ready to try.

Today if you’ve been doing the same things and feel ready for something new, open the door a little wider and see the opportunities waiting there for you. There is more you can experience and every experience will enrich your life. Do everything you dream of and stretch beyond your comfort zone. You’ll be amazed at what you find and your life will be fuller and augmented by each experience. The world is yours. It’s all there and it’s waiting for you.

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Wide Water

25 Jan

Our lives are filled with all kinds of trials and challenges.  We face them as they come and get through them the best we can.  Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed at what lies before us and unsure we can get through it.  It’s like standing on the shore of a very wide river and looking at the other side.  If it’s very far away and the water is deep we may be uncertain that we can cross over and hesitant to begin.  We don’t know how long it will take or what will happen once we step into the water.  If the wind is blowing or it begins to rain, we may become more apprehensive and worried.  The hardest challenges we face may be very difficult to comprehend at first.  We may be stunned trying to figure out what to do or feel lost at the enormity of what we must overcome.  But no matter how complex the issue, no matter how deep the water or how far it is to the other side, we can succeed by taking one step at a time.  We can build a boat to navigate the water by using all the skills and abilities we already possess, and move forward little by little.  The water may be wide but that only means it may take us a little longer to reach the other side.  We have all the wisdom and endurance we need to traverse any river we face.  We can be confident of success even if the winds are blowing and the rain begins to pour.

Our minds are like libraries that hold onto everything we see, or hear, or learn. All our experiences are stored for future reference.  When we come upon something difficult or challenging we can access everything we’ve learned so far and bring it forward to help.  Sometimes an experience we thought inconsequential holds the keys we need to unlock our way ahead.  We can take some time to pull from the skills we’ve already gained to help us when we’re facing a new complex issue.  By using what we’ve got and being open to what we can learn as we go we will find the way to unlock any complication and clear the way ahead.  We have a lot to draw from already and as we navigate our new situation we’ll gain more tools to carry with us.

When we’re facing a huge hurdle or a situation that is more intense than we’re comfortable with, we can take it apart piece by piece and proceed.  Every complex issue has many parts and if we look at each individually we will find the answers we need.  A jigsaw puzzle has many pieces and when we dump it out of the box it’s hard to fathom how they’ll all fit together.  But we can start with the straight edges and put them together, find pieces that are the same color and begin to connect them, and piece by piece we’ll make the picture and solve the puzzle.  We can do the same thing with complicated issues we’re facing.  Piece by piece and step by step we’ll find our way through and before long we’ll be on the other side.  The water may be wide but we can find our way over and we have everything we need to get there.

Today if you’re on the edge of a big issue that is overwhelming and difficult, take it one piece at a time.  Give yourself time to think and pull from everything you’ve learned already.  You are wise and intelligent.  There isn’t anything you can’t manage.  Move forward.  Success is there for you.

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Peter Pan

7 Oct

As we grow and go through our lives we learn new things and develop new behaviors.  As we get older if we want to succeed we must mature and take on the attributes of fully capable adults.  We must learn how to reason and make adult decisions, and exercise self-control to help us manage all kinds of different situations.  If we neglect to mature we may find ourselves stuck in situations that hold us in place and bring us hardship.  Like Peter Pan if we refuse to grow up we will be unable to move forward.  If we can’t commit to relationships, or can’t perform in a steady work environment, or can’t behave rationally when things go wrong, we’ll get stuck.  Childish behavior is appropriate for children but will generally impede our progress as adults.  People with childish tendencies may be difficult to work with and if we’re involved with them may complicate our lives.  If we don’t have these characteristics it’s probable we’ll meet someone during our lives who does.  And if we must work with them or have a relationship with them it may be turbulent and difficult to navigate.  If we fall in love with them we will probably be disappointed and hurt.

When children don’t get their way, they may stamp their feet and march off in disgust.  They may refuse to talk, or voice their dissatisfaction by screaming and yelling.  Because they don’t have adult understanding, when they are furious they may display that fury in a number of difficult ways.  As adults, when things go wrong we may certainly do all the things we did as children to express our unhappiness but those behaviors won’t allow communication and resolution.  Even if the answers seem obvious to other adults, if we’re stuck in a childish pattern we may not see them.  But we certainly have the ability to change and we can learn how to effectively manage conflict and disappointment.  We can learn how to be capable adults and manage our problems and challenges well.  Learning to be fully functioning adults will help us move forward more easily and open doors to success.

Becoming a true adult doesn’t mean we have to let go of childlike wonder or the pure joy of life.  We can still enjoy fun activities and need not restrict our ability to try new things.  But acting like an emotional child when we’re fully grown will only impede our progress and complicate our lives.  Being a true adult helps us change when we need to and embrace growth as we move forward.  We have all the courage we need to allow ourselves to grow and are capable of becoming truly functioning adults.  We can recognize what we need to change and do what we must to facilitate the growth we are seeking.  There isn’t anything too difficult for us to understand and we can succeed.

Today if you see behaviors in your personality you want to improve to become more successful you can begin to change them.  You know what’s important and you can change anything in order to succeed. You have all the courage and understanding you need to become the person you most want to be.  Be the best you can be and all the doors ahead will open for you.

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Tide Coming In

8 Jul

If we walk along the shoreline and watch the tide come in, we might see all kinds of things roll in with it.  There may be beautiful and interesting shells, perhaps a starfish, sea glass, maybe some sharks’ teeth or an ancient glass buoy.  The oceans travel the earth’s surface and as they pass along pick up treasures and carry them to far away shores.  Every time we walk along the sand is an adventure.  We never know what we’ll find or what will come in with each wave.  Our lives are like that.  Each day brings with it limitless possibilities.  We don’t know what will happen, who we’ll see, or what we’ll learn.  We might meet a new friend or go someplace we’ve never been, or we might see something we’ve only dreamed about.  There is no end to what could happen but if we’re present and aware we’ll get the most from the experience.  Everything we go through, and everything that comes to us brings something new we can learn, and we can take all those lessons forward. They will enrich our lives and give us depth.  Sometimes we have no idea where life will take us, but wherever we go, it’s worth the trip.

There is something magical about discovering something new.  Even if we explore every single day of our lives we will never uncover all the amazing things we could see and do.  But trying new things can take courage and we have to be willing to stretch in new ways. We may be unsure because we’ve never done it before and we might be unsteady as we take the first few steps but the adventure comes from taking the chance.  We never know what we can do until we push ourselves and find out.  And the greatest experiences we have often come when we really put ourselves to the test.  When we abandon everything we thought we knew and try something completely different we often discover we are more capable than we ever dreamed, and more courageous than we imagined.

Our days may be filled with routine and expectations.  We may have our hours planned and expect them to follow along as designed.  But there will always be surprises and unexpected events that change things.  It’s up to us to make the most of those opportunities.  If someone new enters the picture, we have the chance to expand our circle and welcome them in.  If an unexpected glitch happens in our plans, we have the opportunity to re-create them and adjust to a new situation.  If a door we thought was open is suddenly locked, we can figure out our way around it.  There are countless things we can learn as we go forward.  When the tide brings in beautiful shells we can bend and pick them up.  If it brings in a tangle of seaweed, we can walk around it.  We can do the same in our personal lives.  Whatever rolls in teaches us something we can take away with us.  If we make the most of each situation, we’ll enrich our lives with countless new experiences and learn more about ourselves and those around us.

Today if something has changed you didn’t expect, or if there is a new situation you must navigate, make the most of it.  Learn all you can and take something of value away.  You are smarter than you think you are and certainly capable of handling anything that comes your way.  If the tide is rolling your way today, step into it.  You have everything you need to do anything you want.

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Taking the Risk

7 Jan

In our lives, we all get the chance to try something new we want to do. It’s fun to try new things, but since they are unfamiliar to us there is some uncertainty and there may be some risk involved. Sometimes the risk is physical – if we want to try snowboarding or rock climbing it looks exciting but we may fall. And sometimes the risk has nothing to do with our bodies, and everything to do with our futures. If we want to change careers but we’re well established where we are now, letting our security go for something new, even if it’s something we really want, can rattle us. Should we do it or should we play it safe and stay where we are? Risk exposes us to possible loss. What that loss is depends on the situation. Of course, we can go through our lives avoiding new situations and staying on the same familiar road if we choose. But if we don’t try new things, if we don’t stretch out of our comfort zones, we’ll never know what we can do. We are all capable of greatness. But we can’t become great unless we push ourselves to do everything we can to get there.

There are more things to experience in this life than we’ll ever be able to accomplish. But the more things we expose ourselves to, the more unique situations we face, the deeper we become and our understanding of life broadens. If we keep our lives small, don’t venture far, stay away from things that are different than what we’re accustomed to and ask for nothing more, our sense of the world will be small as well. Imagine wearing the same color every single day. We know what color it is, and we know how it will look every time we put it on. The repetition of doing the same things can make us feel secure because we know what to expect. But if we put on a new color every single day, and try colors we never thought we could wear, we would see ourselves in many different ways. And that sense of newness and diversity would deepen our experiences. We might find that trying new colors makes us feel happy, something we would never have learned if we had remained in our old pattern.

The experience of taking a risk and trying something new is different for everyone. Some people thrive on the thrill of never knowing what’s coming next, and others prefer to plan escapades into new arenas. If we’re unsure, we could start small and decide to try something we’ve never done before but that will have little impact on us. We could explore new areas for work by volunteering in those arenas and trying them out instead of making a decision to change all at once. We don’t have to bungee jump over a 100 foot drop to take a risk. Just trying something new, something we want to do but have never attempted, will bring us great experience and often big rewards. There is something wonderful about being terrified of a new experience, doing it anyway, and surprising ourselves by succeeding. We can do anything we want to do. We will be enriched as we understand that no matter what comes we’ll be able to navigate it. This life was meant to be experienced. And we have everything we need to try anything we like.

Today if you’ve been thinking about trying something new but have been concerned about the risks involved, you can do it anyway. Plan for it, learn about it, and then take it on. There isn’t anything you can’t do. You are capable of stretching and learning anything you want. Enrich your life by stepping out and pushing yourself a little further. You can conquer any obstacle and on the other side your confidence will soar. Go for it. You can do anything.

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