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Where We’re Headed

12 May

There are all kinds of destinations we can choose as we live our lives. We can decide to accomplish anything we want, go anywhere we like and become the people we most want to be. But sometimes where we think we’re headed isn’t exactly where we’re going. We may think we want something, even plan to get it, but then get on a road that will never take us to it. It might happen because although the goal sounds good to us we aren’t really sure it’s what we want. Or maybe others have suggested it’s what’s best, but we aren’t convinced. We can pretend to be going one way, and really move forward another. If there is pressure for us to be a certain way and achieve certain things we might go along and act as though they are important to us even if they aren’t. But doing that leaves us with no direction at all. It’s impossible to go to two places at the same time. If we’re pretending to go east and really want to go west, we may sit still and go nowhere. We can decide what direction is best for us and no matter what others or situations suggest we can always go our own way. But first we have to decide where our true destination lies. After that we can chart our course and begin the journey.

We live in a world with lots of influences. Our families may have ideas about what’s best for us, our friends may voice their opinions, our lovers may tell us what they think we should do, our bosses may direct us, and society itself may make us feel pressure in one direction or another. We can listen to all the opinions and ideas but in the end we must choose what is right for us. Making that choice can be more difficult if we aren’t sure where we want to go. With so many possibilities, and so many options many of which look good, it can be hard to determine what we want most. But if we take the time to think about where we want to go and how we want to get there our direction will become clear. We have all the courage and determination we need to accomplish anything we like. Once we decide what we really want, there really isn’t anything strong enough to stop us.

Journeys can be complicated. We rarely get from point A to point B by going in an unbreakable straight line. Life enters in, complications arise, we get side tracked, there are detours ahead, and a million things can come up that skew our direction. But if we keep our eyes focused on the goal and are determined to get there, no matter what happens we will press forward and get back on the road. We don’t have to rush, and we don’t have to give up when it gets hard. We can keep moving forward step by step until we reach the destination. How long it takes to get there isn’t important. The important thing is that we’re headed in the right direction.

Today if you’ve been uncertain about which way you want to go, stop and decide what you want most. Things will clarify and you’ll find your direction. Then chart your course and start moving forward. There isn’t anything you can’t accomplish. The road may be long but you are strong enough to walk it. Keep your eyes focused forward and you’ll reach your destination. You have everything you need to succeed.

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Returning to the Scene

11 May

In law enforcement when a crime has been committed, often detectives and others looking for the perpetrator will watch the scene of the crime for anyone who looks suspicious.  Often those who commit crimes return to the scene to observe the reactions of people and watch what happens.  In our lives we may never commit crimes, and I hope we don’t, but there may be times when things don’t go quite the way we wanted them to.  There can be a feeling of emptiness as we deal with disappointment and it can sometimes take time to figure out what happened.  If we feel bad, we may decide to revisit the situation to help us understand what went wrong.  That might mean talking to those who were involved to try and gain some clarity.  Or we might just need to think about what happened and try to sort out our feelings.  Life changes every day but sometimes when we aren’t happy it can feel like it’s changing without us.  Returning to the situation where we went off track can help us find our footing again.  If we didn’t understand it all the first time, we may have to return again and again until we figure out how to go forward.  There is no rush and we can take as much time as needed until we’re ready to let it go and move on.

If we suffer a great disappointment and are deeply hurt we might feel stuck in our misery.  The days may seem fuzzy and we may have trouble concentrating.  It’s hard to look ahead when what’s behind us is holding us so tightly.  We may get stalled trying to understand what happened and where to go from here.  Analyzing the situation can help if we can be objective, but like editing, analyzing can become endless.  No matter how we look at the situation we will never be able to change the outcome.  If we’re determined not to look at it, and live in denial we’ll stay stuck until we return and sort it out.  We will ultimately have to accept the changes that have occurred, even if we don’t agree with them, and then chart a course to move forward.  There isn’t anything we can’t manage and whatever comes to us, no matter how heartbreaking or painful, can be put to rest in time.

Walking into the unknown can be unnerving, and trying to find a new road or a new destination may take some time and thought.  There isn’t just one destination for our lives.  We have limitless choices available to us all the time.  If where we thought we were headed is no longer possible, we can choose someplace new.  We can find new ways to live our lives that are rewarding and fulfilling, and we can find happiness even if it’s not the version of happiness we thought we would have.  A great disappointment is hard to bear.  But the lessons learned while navigating through it will strengthen us and make us more confident for the road ahead.  We can do anything and there is nothing too difficult for us to get through.  The road is long and no detour will keep us from traveling forward.

Today if you’ve been shaken by a disappointment and things have not gone the way you hoped, you can find another way to happiness.  There isn’t anything you can’t face and you have all the tools you need to chart a new course.  There are countless roads in front of you. Find the one that takes you where you want to go now.  Make a turn and start moving forward again.  Happiness is there waiting for you.

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One Thing More

10 May

We can all live our lives any way we choose. We can be ambitious or lazy, motivated or complacent, and we can do our best or just get by. But if we really want to get the most out of our experiences, we need to strive for excellence in all we do. That requires considering more than what is obvious. It means taking a moment before moving on to be sure we’ve done things the way we really want to. If we’re rushing around and checking things off a list, sometimes we don’t do everything as well as we might like. When we’re busy it can be hard to do everything with excellence. Sometimes we just want to accomplish the task and finish. But if we take just a moment to think before leaving what we’re doing, we can consider if there is more that could be done. If there is, we can accomplish it and be confident that we did our best moving forward. Great accomplishments and achievements don’t always mean excellence. Sometimes excellence is achieved merely by doing one more small thing. If we stop and think before moving on we may see something that could change a good outcome to a great one. If we want to do our best, taking a quick look before finishing anything and making sure we’ve done all we can, will allow us to do that.

If we want to achieve excellence, we must do our best in all our endeavors and be the best people we can be. But we’re also busy people and generally have a lot on our minds. There is a lot to accomplish in our lives and though we want to do it all well, sometimes the time crunch pushes us to move along even if we haven’t done everything exactly as we’d like. If we rush from task to task and fail to really look at what we’re doing, we may accomplish a lot but it may not be at the standard we are seeking. If there is one more thing we can do to complete the task with excellence, and we stop for a moment to see it, we can address it and then move on.

Most things we want to accomplish have many layers. If people are involved there will be lots of individual opinions and advice and it’s important to hear them. If the task is complex and takes many steps, and we skip something in an effort to move along more quickly, the job will get done, but may not be done as well. We’re all capable achieving excellence in our activities. But glossing over details, rushing and skipping what we feel is insignificant doesn’t always allow us to get there. No matter what we’ve done there may be one thing more we could do to improve the outcome. It might be a phone call, or maybe a re-check of something, or perhaps a conversation to gain another perspective. It doesn’t have to be time consuming but taking a moment to consider what we could do before we finish can mean the difference between doing a job well, and doing it excellently.

Today as you go about your routine and all the things you need to accomplish, take the time to see if there is one thing more you could do to bring the best outcomes. You have everything you need to accomplish anything you like. Do your best to be your best. Excellence is within your reach. Grab it and make it yours.

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Complications

9 May

Our days come with lots of unexpected surprises. We never know what will happen to mix everything up. Other people have influence over our plans, and lots of things can change without notice. We can’t help the things that come to us that are out of our control, but sometimes we unnecessarily complicate our lives by the decisions we make. If we engage in gossip, are dishonest, manipulate others or situations, or play head games things can get complicated.  They can get even more complicated when the situation starts to unravel. If we make a habit of making bad choices, and doing things that create drama and confusion, our lives will be more difficult than they need to be.  And the complications that come from those actions may confound us for a long time, impeding our progress, and preventing us from moving forward. It isn’t hard to live a clean, straightforward existence but it takes continued diligence. If we tangle ourselves up in situations where we have to navigate unnecessary problems we may end up spending most of our time trying to clean up messes instead of focusing on where we want to go. We are capable of making excellent decisions. If we want to live our lives the best way possible we have to be careful before we choose. If we are, even though we can’t prevent things we can’t control, we will be able to do our best to make our lives as easy as possible.

Some people seem to need drama in their lives. They are constantly in difficult situations and continually make decisions that bring confusion and trouble. We’re all in charge of our own lives and can live them any way we want to. If we want to add complications we can. But our actions almost always impact those around us. If we make bad choices, often we aren’t the only ones who suffer because of them. Everything we do has the possibility of hurting someone else. Hurting others hurts us in the end and generally makes it hard to move forward. If we rethink our plans and choose the best answers at every turn, our lives will be easier and more fulfilling.

Drama is great for the stage. It’s terrific in movies and plays. But in our personal lives, there is enough regular drama without adding more by making poor decisions. It’s exhausting to constantly be trying to unravel problems and it’s difficult to get close to others when we’re all tangled up in ourselves. If we want to be happy, we need to find the paths that work best for us and take us where we want to go without adding unnecessary roadblocks that prevent us from moving forward. We all know what we want. We can do anything we like and we can be successful. But we must make decisions that move us closer to our goals. We can do that if we’re honest in all our dealings, and choose to do our best.  We can all be successful and happy. We just have to decide to do what is needed to get there.

Today if you’ve been tangled up in complications because of decisions you’ve made, clear the path and start again. Think carefully before you act and make sure you know where your decisions will take you. You can do anything and do it well. Decide to do your best and move forward. You have everything you need to succeed. Choose well and all the doors will naturally open for you.

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Ivory Towers

6 May

This life is filled with all kinds of interpretations, expressions, ideals and doctrines. Everyone is different and we are entitled to adopt whatever reasoning or rationales we choose. Sometimes we’ll agree with others, sometimes we won’t but we may choose whatever path we like going forward. Unfortunately, because of our differences, there may be some who choose to isolate themselves in order to stay away from others. They may believe their thoughts are superior or so different from those around them they should be set apart. If we choose to do that and construct a virtual ivory tower around us, keeping others at a distance, it may become impossible to understand the world and those in it. It will certainly be harder to relate to those around us if we exclude ourselves from interacting with them. If we stay separate we might find ourselves misunderstood and alone much of the time. This life is all about interacting with those around us. If we’re alone there is no chance to do that or to grow from those experiences. It’s better to set our personal standards and still continue to be a part of the group. Joining in doesn’t mean we have to completely assimilate. It just means we can participate which will bring us great blessings and continued growth.

The world and our societies continue to evolve as time passes. Perhaps we feel we’d be more comfortable with the way things were in the past, and maybe today’s norm doesn’t feel right for us. No matter what is going on with others or what is considered commonplace, we can always choose to live our lives our own way. We don’t have to match everyone else and we don’t have to do things that make us uncomfortable. We can hold fast to the methods and patterns that work for us and take the best of what’s around us and make it our own. There is no one perfect way to live a life. We all get to choose our own way and we can do it effectively without completely avoiding anything new.

Learning to work with those around us and interact with them in positive ways is easy for some, and more difficult for others. If we’re innately social it may be easier for us to manage differences and get along while keeping our own standards. If we’re uncomfortable in social settings it may be harder to understand others and find our voices. But either way, we can be part of the group and if we’re patient and embracing of differences, we can learn from them. We never need to isolate ourselves or hide away to find our way through. We are capable of sharing our lives and letting others share their lives with us. Everyone has gifts to offer. If we let them in we can learn new things, experience new understanding, and become richer and more integrated. We’re all in this together. Sharing the experience and being a part of it will bring us the most in return.

Today if you’ve been setting yourself apart and hanging back, step up. You have a lot to share and we all want to know you. Talk to those around you and get to know them. Open your heart and let others follow. Your life will be richer as you make new friends and companions to share the journey.

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