Archive | Knowledge RSS feed for this section

All In

19 Apr

When there is something or someone we really believe in and want to support, we may give all our attention and focus to helping them. If what they stand for is something we firmly believe in, we may dedicate countless hours to helping them or doing things that move them forward. It’s good to believe strongly and it’s good to have people we admire and support, but it’s important to always remember who we are and keep our personal standards. Blind allegiance will never work in our favor. No matter what we do in our lives our first responsibility is to ourselves. We set our own standards of who we are and what we’ll do. If we get caught up in situations where our faith is so intense we follow directions without thinking, we may find ourselves doing things that don’t match who we really want to be. We can be committed and still remember who we are. If a situation requires us to give up our personal standards we need to stop and re-evaluate our way forward. Being true to ourselves is our first priority. We are in charge of our lives and no matter what anyone else decides, we can always choose for ourselves. We can be dedicated and still hold strong to what is best for us. Our gifts are unique and when we share the best of who we are the world is a better place.

If there is a venture we want to be involved in we may devote our time and energy to it and work hard to move it forward. If we are asked to do something that is outside the scope of what is appropriate for us, we may consider our options. We don’t have to do anything that compromises our standards or is in conflict with the example we want to set. We don’t have to follow along blindly to show support. We always have the power to make the best choices for ourselves and choose how we will engage in any situation. Being true to who we really are is important and we may find ways to support the cause that ensure we continue to hold fast to that.

Some people are very charismatic and convincing. Their actions and words may be very attractive and compelling, and it’s possible to become attracted to their energy and intensity and get involved before we have time to think. When we are captivated it’s wise to take a step back and see the situation completely. It’s important to make choices that take us where we want to go most and help us become the people we truly want to be. We never need to sacrifice our personal standards for someone or something else. We have a lot to offer. When we are true to what we want most, we become the people we want to be.

Today if you’ve been caught up in a situation that is taking you off the road you most want to travel, you can step back. You can support any situation you choose and still be true to yourself. Remember who you are and what you want. You bring gifts to the world that nobody else can give. We all want to know who you really are and are blessed because you’re here.

Tags: , ,

Tip of the Iceberg

23 Mar

Icebergs are very deceptive things. They may be huge floating in the water but no matter how big they appear on the surface what’s hiding underneath is far larger. What we can see floating in the water, even if it’s enormous, is generally just a small fraction of the iceberg’s total size. The bulk of it is hidden and cannot be seen. Sometimes we face a problem in our lives that’s like that. It may appear to be somewhat simple on the outside and we may make decisions for solving it quickly only to discover there is a far bigger situation lurking beneath the surface. We might have a complication that seems easy to navigate and make a snap decision to settle it only to find there are deeper issues in play and we have much farther to travel if we want to solve the real problem. It’s not always easy to see everything the first time we look. Some issues only reveal themselves over time and if we think we know everything from the beginning we may get burned. Although we understand rushing may mean a mistake, sometimes if we’re in a hurry to move on we may ignore valuable clues that give us the whole story. We have enough wisdom to understand complex issues and enough patience to wait until we comprehend a situation completely before proceeding. If we take the time to see all the information before us, chances are we’ll have a better understanding of how big the iceberg is before we attempt to conquer it.

People are sometimes hard to understand. We may take others at face value and believe the image they are portraying about themselves is true. Sometimes we are right and who they seem to be is exactly who they are. But some people may fool us. They may present themselves in a specific way to get our attention or favor when in truth they are far different than they appear. It takes time to get to know those around us and we can be open and still be cautious before we jump into a relationship. Relationships can be complicated and when based on half the facts can be very difficult. Instead of rushing we can learn a little more and take a little time to get to know others before we get too close.

Problems may have many layers we can’t see at the beginning. Sometimes they look innocent and easy to solve but once we’re involved we may discover there are many issues that must be addressed. Even if they are complicated and difficult we have everything we need to figure them out. We can take the time necessary to consider our options and find the best way forward. If we are patient and look carefully we will see the situation clearly and be able to solve it, no matter what the problem is.

Today if you have an issue you thought was simple to solve that has turned into a huge iceberg, take your time and see all the facts before you. You can find the answers one at a time and resolve the problem. There is nothing too difficult for you and you will succeed. Be strong and have confidence. Step by step you’ll find the way forward and you will prevail.

Tags: , ,

Doubtful

1 Mar

There are times in our lives when we may have to do something or face something that seems beyond our ability to manage.  We may be filled with doubt that we can face what’s before us and prevail.  If we let it, doubt may prevent us from believing we can find our way through our difficulties and convince us we will fail.  We may face some very difficult challenges in our lives, and our perseverance and capabilities may be sorely tested.  If we allow doubt to take control before we try to solve the problem the challenge will be even harder.  Nobody is confident about everything and we’ll all face moments we don’t know how to navigate.  There are endless complications that may arise and unexpected developments that may confuse us or completely stop us.  We are always able to face anything that comes to us and we have all the reserves we need to overcome any difficulty.  We may have doubts at the beginning that we will survive, but moment by moment and step by step we’ll find our way.  We learn our most valuable lessons when we are sorely tested.  The opportunities we face that stretch us beyond what we believe we can handle bring us great resilience and power.  Doubts may come but we can overcome them by determining to move forward and working any problem until we find the answers we need.

If what we are facing is something entirely new to us and we don’t have the tools we need to solve it we can seek help from those around us.  Everyone’s life experience is different and the problems we face are unique to each of us. However, there will likely be someone near us who has experienced something like what we’re facing and we may ask them for advice and counsel going forward.  Most people are willing to share their life experiences with us and help us understand situations they have mastered.  We can reach out and ask for help and when we do chances are someone will be there with answers that will help to move us forward.

There really isn’t any problem or complication that will come to us we can’t figure out.  It may take some time to find the answers we need and we may need to reach into places we’ve never been before but we have enough wisdom and courage to do what is needed.  Life teaches us new things every single day.  Sometimes a lesson that seems the most insignificant carries with it the information we need later to solve a complex issue.  If we pay attention to what we’re learning as we move along, when new problems arise we can draw on all the problems we’ve overcome and use the tools we’ve gained to find our way through.  Life is sometimes complicated and unexpected.  We have everything we need to overcome any difficulty and despite doubt we can find our way to the answers we need.

Today if you’re facing a complex issue that seems too difficult and you’re not sure you can overcome it, remember all the times in the past you’ve prevailed.  You can do anything.  The answers are there for you.  Reach beyond the doubt and find them.  You will prevail and move forward.  Success is always there for you and you will reach it.

Tags: , ,

Seeing and Believing

27 Jun

Most of the time we think we see ourselves as we really are.  We think we know who we are and how others see us.  But it’s possible we aren’t seeing ourselves objectively and sometimes we may be wrong about how we appear to those around us.  For instance, we might think we seem quite sedentary because we don’t like to work out but in fact others might see us busily doing things most of the time and think we’re quite active.  Or we might think we’re intense because we can feel all our emotions while others think we are easy going. It takes effort to see everything objectively but if we step back and really look at what we’re doing we can get a better picture of who we really are.  Part of the reason we miss our personal cues are the expectations we set for ourselves.  If we set very high standards for ourselves and don’t meet them, we may judge critically and reflect the perceived deficiency as failure.  But we don’t need to do that.  It’s possible we’re doing better than we think we are.   And it’s also possible we aren’t seeing that.  If we step back and really look objectively as an outsider sees us we may find we look different than we thought.  And we might even find we look great.

Personal expectations can be very high.  Sometimes when we set them we expect to achieve them right away.  Expecting to change immediately just because we’ve decided we want it never works.  It takes time and effort to do things in new ways and adopt new behaviors.  We need time for the adjustment it takes to get there.  If we can change our thinking to consider our personal expectations instead as personal goals and then make a plan to achieve them we’ll feel more confident as we’re learning the new pattern.  Nobody’s life is perfect and we all want to make changes from time to time.  Anticipating immediate change will defeat us.  We can allow time to learn new behaviors we want to adopt and then clearly see the steps we’re making each day that take us closer to them.  If we acknowledge our progress as we’re moving closer to where we want to be we’ll be more self-assured and confident that we’ll succeed.

Even if we’re capable of seeing others objectively as they are, we may struggle to see truth when evaluating ourselves.  We are often harder and more critical of ourselves than we are of others.  We may expect to do things right every time, to never falter, and to achieve everything we set out to do without problems.  It’s fine to set lofty goals but our lives are never defined by unmarred lines in the sand.  We are fluid and will sometimes make choices that aren’t perfect.  There is no way to prevent wavering from time to time.  It’s the overall picture that counts.  If our feet are pointed in the right direction, and if we strive to do the best we can at every turn, we are doing well.  We aren’t perfect and we will make mistakes.  But if we can look at the big picture of who we really are despite our imperfections we may see that we are more accomplished and capable than we thought.  We do a lot of things well, and we do some things very well.  Seeing those honestly will bring us confidence and clarity as we move forward.

Today if you feel you’re less than you want to be, step back and look at yourself objectively.  You may see you have more going for you than you thought.  You have accomplished many wonderful things already.  Acknowledge them and be confident. You have all you need to be successful in everything you choose going forward.

Tags: , ,

Apply Here

2 Mar

There is a lot to learn in life.  We never stop learning new things and when we’re challenged by something new, it may be hard at first to completely understand it.  Learning new skills, whether they are life skills, survival skills, job skills, or others, takes our attention and focus.  But learning a new skill isn’t enough.  After we’ve figured it out, if we want it to become part of who we are going forward, we have to apply it in some way.  We can learn all kinds of new things but until we actually use them we won’t know exactly how they work.  This is clear when we’re studying math.  We learn a new theorem or formula and we understand the process of using it, but in order to fully grasp how it works, we actually have to practice using it to solve problems.  It’s the same with any skill.  What looks easy on paper isn’t always easy to implement in real life.  But with time and effort we can learn new things and apply them in our lives.

Healthy relationships don’t just happen.  We meet someone, we like them, maybe we fall in love with them, and in the bliss of infatuation think everything will go smoothly from there.  But life is complicated and things happen that make seemingly easy situations more difficult.  Even if we know what we should do to navigate them to preserve a happy relationship, putting what we know into action and applying the information isn’t always as simple as it may seem.  There are feelings to consider – something that can never be predicted exactly – and other peoples’ perceptions and decisions may enter in.  If we want to navigate the issue well, we have to take our time and think before we act.  We all want easy, perfect relationships, but unfortunately when dealing with others it’s not always easy, and perfection is something we continually strive for but rarely see.

We are capable of learning new things and new ways to handle anything that comes to us.  Something that worked in the past may not work in the future, and if we want to be successful we need to be open to learning new ideas and then applying them in our lives.  All the knowledge in the world means nothing if it’s never actually applied and experienced.  If we are open to learning new things, accepting different ways of looking at situations, and willing to work on what we’re learning and use it in our lives we will find more success and more happiness.  Life is constantly changing.  Our problems and challenges today will be different tomorrow.  We can stay ahead of the curve and manage everything if we are aware and willing to learn.  We can do anything we want to do.  None of us is frozen in time.  We can change, we can grow, we can learn, and we can be successful in all our endeavors.  There isn’t anything that is too difficult for us to accomplish once we’ve decided we will do it.

Today if you’re in situation that has you confused and you aren’t sure what to do, stop for a moment and look at things objectively.  You have all the skills you need to face anything that comes to you.  Draw on your life experience and apply everything you’ve learned so far.  You can figure out any puzzle.  You are capable and strong, and can manage anything that comes to you.  Start thinking.  The answers are already there.

Tags: , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →