Tag Archives: Opinion

Blame Game

4 May

Sometimes things go wrong and our plans don’t work out. Perhaps we were in the wrong place, it was the wrong time, we worked with the wrong people, or dozens of other reasons. When we’ve worked hard to achieve something and everything falls apart we may look for someone or something to blame. There are times when the decisions of others stop our plans, and other times when circumstances prevent us from moving forward. We can certainly place the blame anywhere we like when we’re facing disappointment, but placing blame doesn’t help us move forward. If we’re angry, concentrating on what we believe is at fault may stop our progress. In the end, no matter who or what we blame, we are where we are and it really doesn’t matter what went wrong. We can voice our opinions about how things should have happened and express our frustration over decisions that have been made, but none of that will change our situation. We will still be exactly where we are. If we want to move forward and achieve the goal we can try again. Taking time to review where things fell apart may help us find a better road ahead that allows us to reach the destination. Every experience – both good and bad – teaches us something. If we learn all we can from the things we’ve done already we have a better chance of finding the right way through next time. There is no goal too daunting for us to achieve. We can let go of disappointment, start again, turn in a different direction, and move forward.

Life is full of challenges and opportunities. We can go anywhere we want to go but if success on our journey depends on the decisions of others we may have to re-route our course from time to time. Everyone has their opinions and ideas about the way things should be. If we’re swimming upstream and pushing against the norm we will likely face barriers. That doesn’t mean we have to turn around and follow everyone else but we may have to modify our course to accommodate the situation. We can be flexible and turn when needed to navigate our way to the destination we desire.

There may be times when someone purposely prevents us from moving forward. Perhaps they don’t agree with our plans, don’t understand what we’re doing, or simply want us to stay where we are. If they block our path and there is no way around them now, we may set our goal aside for a time and begin again when our circumstances change. There is often no set timetable for success. Although we may be impatient, if the goal is not possible now, we can wait and try again later. Things will change and our opportunity to move forward will come. When it does, we can be ready and begin again.

Today if something has prevented you from reaching a goal, don’t waste time blaming the situation or those around you. Look at everything objectively and decide how you want to proceed. You can accomplish any goal you desire. If you must wait, prepare and be ready for when the right time arrives. Success is there for you. You can plan effectively, and you will win. There isn’t anything you can’t do.

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Modification

21 Nov

There are times in our lives when we may find the road we’re on isn’t taking us where we thought it would. The signs are there, we can see we aren’t moving forward, and we may end up further from the goal than when we started. It seems the logical thing to do at a time like that is to adjust our trajectory to one that takes us closer to where we want to go. However, if we are convinced the path we’ve chosen is right, and believe that if we just keep going we’ll eventually succeed, we may stay the course. We’ve probably all heard the definition of insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It’s the same thing if we know something isn’t working but keep pushing forward thinking it will change. We may not be crazy, but the idea that continuing on the same incorrect course will magically change it into one that works isn’t logical. And it certainly won’t help us get to our destination.

When we are confident in our decisions, whatever they are, and proceed forward, we expect things to work out as planned. We foresee that we’ll get from point A to point B by using the plan we’ve created and the path we’ve chosen. If we hit a few snags at the beginning we may overlook them and continue on. If we continue to falter we may think it’s just a matter of time or working a bit harder to be successful. But eventually if we see we aren’t going anywhere, and despite working harder at the problem nothing is changing, we need to stop and reconsider. It never works to keep moving forward or pushing harder if we’re going the wrong way. We may struggle with admitting our plan isn’t working but ignoring the facts will only prevent us from gaining success. If we want to achieve the goal, and what we’re doing isn’t working, it’s time to reorganize, rethink, and make a new plan.

It’s good to be confident, and we are capable of making excellent decisions. But nobody is perfect and sometimes things don’t work out with the methods we’ve chosen. There is nothing wrong with revising our plans. If we need to, it’s wise to adjust our course and retool going forward. But if we’re so sure we’re right and choose our opinion over doing what is needed to succeed, all we’ll have in the end is our opinion. We can win if we humble ourselves enough to accept the need to change and then do what is required to make success possible. After all, success is the goal – not the process to get there.

Today if you’ve been pushing and pushing and nothing is changing or you find you’re going in the wrong direction, stop and look at the situation again. Be open to adjusting your course and the answers will come. Start again, and make changes as they are needed. You will achieve your goal and you’ll be successful. You have everything you need to win. Be flexible and you’ll get there.

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Resolute

16 Jul

In this day and age it seems that we are pressured to accept every idea that comes along. If we don’t like something and speak up, we may face criticism. But it’s not possible to like everything or agree with everything we come in contact with. And we are certainly still entitled to our opinions, even if they differ from the mainstream. We are all individuals, and unique in our personal standards, and beliefs. It’s appropriate and correct for us to choose our own way, and determine our own preferences. It’s right for us to be resolute in those decisions. We can be unwavering if they are important to us. We are, after all, on our own paths, and not on some pre-determined road designed by someone else.

When we are faced with a situation where we disagree with an issue being presented, we can speak up. There may be some who criticize our opinion, but we are still entitled to it. It is narrow-minded and inconsiderate to expect everyone to follow along when they disagree. Unfortunately, sometimes that narrow mindedness is part of our lives, and we are placed in uncomfortable situations. But we are still in control of our lives, and we may choose what we agree with, and what we don’t want.

This world is full of contradictions, differences, opposites, and contrasts. It’s what makes life interesting, and gives our experiences depth. If we were all the same, all believed the same things, all agreed on the same things, and all did the same things the same way, it would be very predictable, and very boring. Thankfully, we’re all different. It’s those differences that make us special, and unique. The pressure to conform can make us feel that our opinion is unworthy, but nothing could be further from the truth. We all need to hear other ideas. We need to embrace opposing viewpoints, and we need to encourage those around us to share their thoughts. We’re all finding our own paths, and we need to do that our own way. It’s good to be who we are. We need to embrace that, and we can be resolute in staying true to ourselves.

Today if you feel pressured to accept something you disagree with, remember your opinions are valuable. They are as important as the opposing viewpoint. If you disagree, speak up, and share your thoughts on the issue. Express your feelings, and hold strong to your beliefs. You are entitled to make your own choices. You don’t have to go along. Today be true to who you are. Your opinions are important, and they are worth hearing. Be resolute in them. This is your path. Stay true to it.

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Do you validate?

22 Mar

I have been watching a TV show where chefs compete to see who can make dishes out of unusual ingredients.  There is a stopwatch involved and it seems very stressful.  Every time I watch this show, when asked why they want to win, one of the chefs will say “It will validate what I’m doing,” or “It will validate that I am where I should be,” or something along this line.  This has been perplexing for me.  I wonder why they need to be validated?  By their own admission, they are doing something they love to do.  They are good at their jobs or certainly would never have been invited to compete in the show.  So, why the need for outside validation?

This has made me wonder about us as people.  If we are happy doing things we love, is it necessary that others validate that we are doing things right?  Is it necessary that we get acceptance and approval? Nobody likes criticism, of course, but do we need everyone to be happy about our decisions?  I don’t think we do.  If we are living our lives the way we want to, and we aren’t hurting anyone else, I don’t think we have to have the approval of anyone else.  We are living OUR lives, not their lives, and making OUR decisions, not theirs.

So I was thinking about my life.  Are there times when I need to be validated in a decision I’ve made?  Do I feel like I have to have approval to continue doing the things I want to do?  I am very independent and for me the approval of others isn’t very important.  I’m not hurting anyone, I’m just making decisions about my own life.  That’s enough for me.  I know friends who go to functions they don’t want to attend because someone said they should, who wear clothes they don’t like because someone didn’t like the way they were dressing, and who changed different aspects of their lifestyle because it didn’t agree with someone else’s idea of how their lives should look.  I don’t want that.  None of us should want that.

Our lives are gifts to US.  Nobody else.  We should be brave and courageous enough to live them the way we want to.  We should dress the way we want to, eat the way we want to, go to the places we like, and stand up for ourselves.  After all, the opinion of others is just that – opinion.   And opinion is just someone else’s idea of something.  Our ideas are just as important as theirs.  So be strong.  Get out there and live your life your way.  You’ll be happier.  This life goes by so fast.  Let’s be as happy as we can!

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