New President, New Day ... same me?

I dreamed that I woke up on Wednesday morning November 9th, 2016 and everything in my life was exactly the same!

This couldn't be possible.  After months of listening to two campaigns, which of course were polar opposites, but promised the same things ... my life was the same.  New president, new day ... same me?

All the votes were cast, the campaigns were over, the electoral college did their thing and finalized the will of the people ... yet everything was the same.  I couldn't believe it, I was dumbfounded!

Then I had another dream ... I dreamed that it was one year after inauguration and my life was still the same!

As it turns out, it wasn't a dream it was reality.  You can put your belief in Clinton or in Trump or in any other candidate or leader.  But if you want real change, real progress, real improvement in your life you need to put your belief in yourself.  Otherwise, one year from today you will be the same person.  Which doesn't make you a bad person, but don't you want to grow and get better?

Yes, others can help you get ahead.  They can provide direction, inspiration, training, education, motivation, wisdom.  But as the old saying goes "if it's to be, it's up to me!"  So believe in yourself, imagine a better life, dream big and then make it happen!

Have a great day!

Land of a thousand excuses!

I woke up this morning and starting thinking about all of the things that I have yet to accomplish.  I don't recommend you do this ... it can get quite depressing!

Then, in an effort to make me feel less depressed, I started thinking about all of the reasons why I haven't done all of the things that I wanted to do. It wasn't long before I realized that my reasons weren't reasons, they were merely excuses.

An example of a good reason for not being able to start a project or complete a task would be:         

"I was on my way to the post office, minding my own business, focused on getting the check mailed, whistling "Try" by Colbie Caillat when all of a sudden a piano fell from a 6th floor window and incapacitated me for a month.  That's why the check didn't get to the power company."

Nowadays, thanks to electronic bill paying, that's really not a good reason either.

"What are some lame excuses that I thought were reasons?" you ask.  Well I am so glad you asked:

• "I didn't get the leaves raked up because winter came too fast"
• "I wanted to work out, but these other things had to get done and then I was too tired"
• "I was going to start writing, but I didn't have the time ... or the energy ... or the inspiration ... or didn't think it would get published so I never started it."
• "I was about to, but then it was time to watch: Real Housewives, Honey Boo Boo, Survivor, reruns of Seinfeld, something that I DVR'd last month, etc."
• "I didn't know how." <=== the lamest excuse of all, yes it tops the previous bullet point!

The reason that none of the above got done was because you (or I) didn't place enough importance on them!  Was watching a Seinfeld rerun really more important that taking that first step towards your dream? Sometimes there are legitimate reasons why you can't do something at this moment, but if it is truly important to you (meaning your passion for that "it"bubbles through your ears) you will find a way to get it done!
Have a great day!

What others see ...

Have you ever noticed that what others see in us is usually not what we see in ourselves?

How many times have you had a friend or co-worker say to you "You are such a caring person." or "You have such a big heart."?  Perhaps a classmate or colleague has said to you "You are so smart!"  Ironically these comments usually come when you aren't feeling so generous or so smart.

Have you ever completed a personal assessment or performance review simultaneously with, but separate from, your supervisor?  Afterwards, when you and your supervisor compared the two assessments how much higher did he/she (the person that approves or signs your paycheck) rate you than you rated yourself?  Isn't it odd that he/she has more confidence in your abilities than you do?

Stop focusing on what you feel are deficiencies in your education or talents.  Feelings are just EMOTIONS that aren't necessarily based in FACT!  Don't get me wrong, feelings are real ... but they can be wrong.  Anything that you believe in is real to you ... it just may not be true.

Rather, focus on the greatness that others see in you!  Don't get cocky or arrogant, just know that there are things that you are great at and others admire you for those things!  There's always room to improve.  No one is perfect.  Invest time in strengthening other areas of your life and know that if you can be great at one or two things you can be great at three, four, five, ...!


HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Stuck

 So many people feel like they are "stuck" and in so many ways:

• Stuck in a job or career
• Stuck in a relationship
• Stuck in debt
• Stuck in bad health
• Etc.

You are not stuck!  You are where you are because of the choices you have made and continue to make.  It is entirely your decision on whether or not you are the same person five days or five years from now!

Make a decision, set a goal and then reach your hand out for help!  There are people around you with life experiences and knowledge that they are just dying to share with you.  Your local library has FREE books for you to gain inspiration and to educate yourself.  Your friends and neighbors have had careers and experiences that will inspire you.  They may even have contacts in the exact field that you are looking to enter!

Open your eyes and look around for your inspiration ... then look inside you for your motivation!  Find your "WHY?"!  The inspiration gets you going, the "WHY?" will keep you going.  And be ready for sacrifices.  You may have to give up your time (a.k.a. invest your time) or skip a Fivebucks Latte or lose a friend that really isn't a friend.  If you know your "WHY?" they won't seem like sacrifices at all!  Get unstuck, call today ... operators are standing by and shipping is FREE (just kidding)!


             “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go;
        they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein

                                                           HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Take your own advice!

So many times I have found myself offering advice to friends and family ... usually unsolicited.  But the other day I was recanting in my head a conversation with my brother and realized I was being a hypocrite.

On a recent phone conversation with my brother I was providing him with some great tips on how to eat healthier and get more exercise.  He is not the type to open up too much, so I am quite sure that he hadn't asked me for any help.  Being someone who loves him very much though I felt compelled to shower him with my wisdom!

I mean I really love my brother and I want him to live a long healthy life which is why I was recanting the conversation.  All the time wondering "was he listening?", "what could I have said differently that would have resounded in his mind and motivated him to take action?"

Then I realized, I've been trying to get in shape and lose 20 pounds ... FOR FIVE YEARS!   Why am I preaching to my brother, I need to be preaching to the mirror!  Who am I to offer advice?  I barely passed my annual physical and get winded walking up the stairs to the third floor at my office!

I often listen to a recorded lecture by Jim Rohn and remember him saying "some of you are asking 'Mr. Rohn, how is this stuff working for you?' ... well ... listen to me very closely, but don't watch to carefully!"  Mr. Rohn was a great "preacher" of a philosophy on how to live a successful life.  And even Mr. Rohn was having trouble following all of his own advice.

Unsolicited advice is usually hard to hear and even harder to follow!  How many doctors, nurses and fireman do you know that smoke ... don't they know better?  Aren't they always telling people not to smoke? How many police officers and legal gun owners are injured by their own weapons or fireworks each year due to their own lack of judgement or missteps?  Hmm?

Well the good news for my brother is that I will try not to offer him any unsolicited advice anymore (emphasis on "try") and I will start to heed my own advice.  Those twenty pounds are coming off by Christmas 2015!