Into the Unknown

24 Jul

What if someone offered you anything you wanted if you would do something for them?  The catch was they wouldn’t tell you what you had to do until after you agreed to doing it.  Would you take that leap?  Would you risk it to get to the prize?  It’s impossible to know what lies ahead in our lives.  We try to set things up so we feel safe, but sometimes we’re faced with a situation where we have to go forward into the unknown.  It’s disconcerting not to know where a journey is taking us, or what will happen when we get there.  It might be a great surprise that will bring us joy, or it might go the other way.   The routines of our lives give us the illusion of security, but really nothing is guaranteed.  Although it may be unsettling to do something completely new and strange, it can enhance our experiences.  If we only do the same things every day we don’t get the chance to stretch.  And stretching teaches us about life.

Sometimes we have the opportunity to take on dramatic changes in our lives.  Perhaps we are offered a new job that’s a step up, but is in a new location far different from where we’ve ever been before.  Maybe it’s an opportunity to travel to a strange and distant place where customs are vastly different from our personal experiences.  Or perhaps it’s the chance to be involved with others whose beliefs and lifestyles are extraordinarily different than our own.  Experiences like these may be foreign to us, and may cause us some discomfort as we go through them.  But if we allow ourselves the opportunity to venture into the unknown, we may learn things about ourselves and others that will be valuable.

One time I was asked to volunteer for an event at the local arena.  I didn’t know what was scheduled for that night, but I agreed to help out.  When I showed up, I discovered the event was extremely foreign to me, and the attendees were unlike anyone I was accustomed to interacting with.  I was assigned to work the concession stand for the evening with several others.  It was  interesting, and unusual to work with people who were so different than me.  Afterward I reflected on the experience.  I was way out of my comfort zone, and yet it had been rewarding.  I learned a lot about myself and those I interacted with.

Today if you’re offered the opportunity to do something you’ve never done before, something that may be somewhat unsettling, think about it before you say no.  There is a lot to be gained by stretching our experiences into areas that are unusual for us.  Try something new.  It will enhance your understanding of life, and you’ll be amazed at what you’ll learn about yourself.  This life is an adventure.  Today, stretch it a little.   Step into the unknown and take a look from the other side.  Your perspective will be enriched in ways you cannot imagine.

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The Sky is Falling

23 Jul

When we’re making plans for something we need to do or somewhere we need to go, we try to plan effectively so everything will go well.  But sometimes complications occur that are out of our control.  Sometimes it’s a small manageable glitch, but other times it seems like everything goes wrong.  The sky falls, and it’s a complete disaster.  It’s like our lives have turned into the Bermuda Triangle – everything has gone crazy, and nothing is working.   When we’re in the midst of these situations, it is very trying and difficult.  It can seem that the stars have aligned against us, and there are supernatural forces at work.  Of course, none of that is true.  We’re just going through a difficult situation that, for reasons we can’t explain, just keeps getting worse.  In the midst of the mess, it’s hard to keep going, and it’s hard to remain positive.  But sometimes we have no choice, and no matter how bad it gets, we have to trudge through it.

It’s important to reach out when we’re tormented, and feel beset.  We can ask for help.  Those who care about us want us to be safe, and happy.  They will assist us if we ask.  Sometimes we think we can handle things on our own, or we are embarrassed by the situation, and asking for help is difficult.  But if we try to face everything on our own, and it’s overwhelming, it will be much harder to solve than if we get help from others.  We’re only human, and everyone has been in situations like this.  We can get the help we need, we can get advice, and we can get assistance to navigate whatever we’re going through until we can manage it more effectively.  After things settle down we can learn from the experience and move forward.  Later when someone else is going through something similar we can return the favor and help them.  Our compassion for their situation will be enhanced by the experiences we’ve already faced.

It’s hard to cope when a lot of things go wrong at the same time.  We may find ourselves asking, “Why me?”  It can feel like we’ve been singled out for trouble.  But everyone gets the opportunity to experience these kinds of situations from time to time.  It’s never easy.  It’s never fun.  And it’s rarely expected, but we can navigate it.  It takes courage and patience, but we can handle it.  There really is nothing we will face in this life that we can’t manage.  Nobody wants to go through times like these, but when they come, we can manage them.  We are capable of handling whatever comes to us.  There is nothing that will defeat us.

Today if you are overcome with a situation that has become intense, and complicated, don’t hesitate to ask for help.  Turn to someone you trust.  Those who care about you will help and you’ll be able to get through the situation more comfortably.  You will conquer this, and you will be successful.  When the trial is over, remember how much it meant to have support when you needed it.  And then, do the same for those around you.  Remember, we’re not going through this life alone.  We’re all in this together.  Reach out when you need help, and be there when others need you.

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In For A Penny

22 Jul

Throughout our lives things come up, and we are asked to help out or assist in some way.  When possible we may agree, and offer our service.  Sometimes the tasks are easy and quick, and we are happy to help.  But other times, complications come up that make it harder for us to stick with our commitment.  For instance, say you have a friend who needs help moving furniture.  You agree to assist but when the day set apart for the move arrives, a huge storm rolls in, and it’s pouring rain.  Your friend tells you the move must happen that day, and you dread the chore.  It’s going to be much harder to do in the storm, and you would rather let someone else do it.  These situations come up routinely.  What at first can seem like a simple task sometimes turns into something more.  And when that happens, we have to decide if we’re in, or we’re out.  Even if we gave our word that we’d be there, we may be tempted to back out.

There is an old saying, “In for a penny, in for a pound.”  If we commit to something, we need to be committed all the way.  If we’ve said we would help when the task was easy, we need to stay if the task gets hard.  Commitment is easy for some of us, and harder for others.  But when we say we’ll be there, we need to be there.  We’re either in all the way, or we’re out.  There really is no middle ground.  So before we commit to anything, it would be wise to weigh all the possibilities to ensure we can follow through no matter what.

We’ve all had experiences with people letting us down.  Sometimes they say they’ll be there, but then don’t show up.  It’s disappointing when it happens, and definitely affects the relationship in a negative way.  There is great value in being dependable, and sticking with our decisions.  Of course, there will certainly be times when we say we’ll help thinking it’ll be easy, and then things happen making it more difficult.  What we do then defines our commitment.  Are we in no matter what?  Or do we back out when things go wrong?  It is noble, and right to stay the course.  Remember, who we are, isn’t what we say.  Who we are is what we do.

Today if you’ve made a commitment, and the situation has gotten difficult and complicated, stick with it.  Stay the course.  Be there.  Your friends and family will learn to rely on you, and trust you to follow through.  They’ll know that no matter what you’ll keep your word.  The trust of those we care about is invaluable.  It’s priceless.  Earn it.  Follow through.  Staying true will bring you satisfaction and confidence.  You will never regret making that choice.

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Power Outage

21 Jul
We’re all very busy in this day and age.  We might have family responsibilities, jobs, chores or tasks that never seem to end.  With the technology available to us, we are rarely out of touch with others.  We carry our laptops, tablets, and smart phones with us, and people are continually contacting us.  This constant availability and our continued responsibilities can wear on us.  We can become overwhelmed with fatigue, and get burned out.  And when that happens, everything we do may suffer.  Our concentration is off, our energy level is down, and we’re just going through the motions.
 
When it all catches up to us, and we are burned out, we have to stop.  At that point, stopping is the only way to go forward.  We have to take some time for ourselves, take a break, turn off all our gadgets, and get some respite for a while.  We can, and we should plan time for ourselves every single day.  We can keep our batteries charged instead of waiting for them to die completely if we take a little time for ourselves.  It doesn’t usually take much.  Just a short time for personal pleasure every day – say fifteen minutes in the morning, and then again in the afternoon – may prevent a full blown power outage.  During our down time we could just goof off, lie in the sun, read a book, take a walk or whatever else we enjoy.  We can regroup and rest for a moment before starting again.  We work hard every day.  We do a lot.  We deserve a break, and we need to take it.
 
It takes planning to prevent burn out, but sometimes we don’t take the time to make a plan.  We know if we’re working all the time the crash is going to come, but instead of planning for time out, instead of scheduling a break, we sometimes just keep pushing forward.  There is the next thing on our list that needs to be tended to.  There is that project coming up we’ve already put off twice that must be done.  There is so much to do, we can get lost in the busy-ness of it, and forget we need a break.  But we’re important, and we deserve to be at our best.  We can only do that if we remember to schedule time for ourselves along with the time we’re scheduling for everyone else.
 
Today if you’re feeling burned out, and exhausted, just stop for a while.  Take a break.  Go outside, get away from your phone and your computer, and take a breather.  Give yourself recess.  Take the very best care of yourself.  The time you take to refresh is as important as anything else you will do today.  Take it.  You’ll feel stronger, you’ll have more energy, and you’ll be happier.  You deserve every good thing.  Today schedule time just for you.  You are the most important person on your list today.
 

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Look Up

18 Jul

When things are going wrong, when plans don’t work out, when we’re troubled, overwhelmed and downtrodden, it’s hard to look ahead. We have to process the disappointment, and figure things out. Sometimes the pain of where we are can be paralyzing, and we have to stop for a time before we can move again. It hurts when things go wrong. And when we’re hurting, it can be hard to think of anything but just getting through it.

Disappointment and trouble are part of life. We all wish everything would go easily, every plan would work out well, every day would be filled with sunshine and roses, but that’s not life. That’s fantasy. An active fantasy life is one thing, and real life is quite another. There will be dark days, there will be sad moments, and sometimes there may be devastating developments. When we’re going through these times, it’s important to remember that nothing lasts forever. It can feel like forever, but things change every day. Whatever is driving us down today will be different tomorrow. It might not be perfect tomorrow, it might still be difficult, but it won’t last forever. Eventually everything changes.

When we’re unhappy our demeanor is off. We walk with our heads down, we may talk more quietly, or we may scream and rant. We may feel prickly inside, agitated, and wired, or we may feel numb, depressed, and sullen. Whatever the expression, it’s off from our normal personas. Our friends and family may offer suggestions which sometimes help, and sometimes don’t.  It’s not a good time. But it’s not forever. It’s just a moment. It will pass. Eventually we’ll feel whole again. Our dispositions will return to normal, and we will find happiness once more.

Today if things aren’t going well, or something disappointing has happened, if you feel bad and you’re not yourself, it’s okay. Feeling bad is a normal response when things go wrong. If you’re walking with your head down, and feel heavy with the challenge, look up. Lift your head, and square your shoulders. This will not overcome you. You will navigate it and you will conquer it, whatever “it” is. You are strong, you are capable, and you will walk right through this to the other side. Keep looking up, and keep walking. This is just a moment. You’ve already come so far. The other side is just around the corner.

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