Tag Archives: #challenges

Spirituality

Constructive Dialogue

There’s a lot of people tearing each other apart nowadays! In case you haven’t noticed, people love to argue about their political opinions. Many are dying on that hill daily.

This has been going on for a very long time. The advent of social media has brought the battle into the public. But one thing I have observed is, no one has been changed because someone is yelling at them. What a waste of time.

Constructive dialogue builds relationships. You can only learn about others by listening to them and observing how they act. We should respect others for what they believe. They have their reasons and it isn’t our place to try to change others. People can make decisions for themselves.

Ask yourself if what you are about to say is helping or hurting. There has been a lot of hurt heaped on other people because they believe differently.

Be different. Be helpful…

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Spirituality

Approach

Timing is everything, especially when you have a difficult message to deliver. As you have experienced, an opportune moment appears when we are patient.

How we approach life’s challenges is one of the most important things that determines our success. If we have a negative attitude, failure is guaranteed. A positive attitude, combined with a mind open to suggestion and collaboration, will usually succeed. We must be humble enough to know that we aren’t the only one with good ideas.

I encourage you to be fearless when trying something new! Read a little bit about what you are about to tackle, then go do it.

Approach life with the belief and confidence of a child learning to walk. Keep trying until you succeed…

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Spirituality

The Critics

Critics are everywhere. You know who I’m talking about. Critics are the people who have a problem for every solution. They can identify every wrong thing in the world, but they contribute very little to nothing in making things better.

Many people fear criticism, so they stay in the shadows rather than speaking up. Or perhaps they don’t want to waste their time and energy trying to engage with the self-righteous. Self-righteous people have an insane desire to be right, and they will go out of their way to prove others wrong about everything. Those people are energy drainers.

Constructive criticism is essential for improving ourselves. Most anyone is open to learning which facilitates growth, both personal and professional. It is possible to deliver a constructive message without destroying a relationship. Yet, the divorce courts are full and the Human Resources Departments are ever-expanding.

It’s important to not be too critical of yourself. We can hold ourselves accountable while being kind to ourselves. It’s possible…

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Spirituality

The Next Ten Years

Do you think about what your life will look like in ten years? You should. Making long-term goals is a wise decision.

I meet many people who aren’t looking too far into their future. Many of their goals are about retirement. But it’s vital to remember, there’s a lot of life to be lived after retiring.

Your first step is to write down your long-term plans on paper. Read it often. If it involves learning a new skill, focus your reading on the skill. Do you want to write a book, a novel per se? I encourage you to take a class on writing. A physical class where you can meet and interact with other future writers. You will learn a lot, and your creative juices will begin to flow like a river.

Take the steps necessary to create the life you want. Start today. In fact, start now…

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Spirituality

The Power to Change

Change is a funny thing. In one way it is self-contradictory. For example, many people say they don’t like change. Yet, the only constant in life is change. Those people are screwed!

Most everyone I meet is trying to grow. Growth requires change. Getting rid of bad habits, better decision-making or beginning an exercise program requires change and commitment. And it is difficult. But you can do it if you want to.

You don’t have to do it alone. Ask God to help you. He will show up. You might have to ask Him multiple times per day. God didn’t forget what you asked for. He’s wanting to see how badly you want it. And only God can change impure hearts. Let Him do His thing.

The road of life we are on will end one day. Make your life count…

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Spirituality

Desperation

There are innumerable people living with unfulfilled dreams for their lives. Trading one’s identity for security is nothing new. In the 1850’s, Thoreau wrote, “ the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and die with their song still in them.”

We see the effects of this inner turmoil in our world. It is manifested by alcoholism, drug abuse and other destructive behaviors. Damaged people leave a trail of carnage in their wake. It doesn’t have to end like this.

Take control of your thoughts. Work on yourself. Break it down into manageable increments. If you get too far ahead in your thinking, it can be destructive. Stick with one day at a time. We can do anything for just one day.

When you drive by a cemetery, take a moment to consider all of the unfulfilled promise each of those lives offered. You won’t end up like them.

Don’t die with your song still in you. It’s time to start singing…

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Spirituality

Getting Lucky

Elon Musk famously said, “For years I worked 20 hours a day, seven days a week. But there are still people who say I got lucky.”

The truth is, we create our own luck. Our results come from ingenuity and effort, not some magical genie. Sweat equity brings fruit, but there’s a lot of failures, frustrations and setbacks along the way. The people who refuse to quit are sometimes called lucky. The people who say that are afraid to step out in faith and try something new, or perhaps they are just lazy.

Take the brave first step. Then take another. Fear is not an option for you.

Make your move. It’s time…

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Spirituality

Imagine That!

Our creative imagination is a powerful gift from the Creator. Everything starts with an idea.

Consider the two bicycle repairmen who dreamed of flying. You know them as Orville and Wilbur Wright.

What about the man who only had two months of formal education? When he died, he had over 1,000 patents credited to him. No one would call Thomas Edison dumb.

The first biography I read as a child was about an incredible woman who dreamed of freedom. Not only did she take enormous risks to escape to a free life for herself, this gun-toting, barely five feet tall woman went back and brought hundreds of slaves to the north where they could be free. Harriet Tubman was her name.

If you can dream it, you can do it. Get on the creative side of your mind and let your imagination run wild. As Albert Einstein said, “imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Believe it, and believe in yourself…

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Spirituality

A Fresh Start

Every day is an opportunity to begin again. If your resolutions have gone bye-bye, today is the day to welcome them back.

Change is difficult, and permanent change requires effort and commitment. We need time to renew our thinking, creating and strengthening new neural pathways in the process. Change happens when we want it to happen.

Be kind to yourself and be patient with your progress. The world will beat you up enough, so don’t pile on yourself. Give yourself a wide margin.

You can do it. And offer encouragement to others who are trying to change. They need it, too…

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#inspiration

Do More

Are you going the extra mile as you live your life, or just doing the bare minimum? Here are a few thoughts on giving more of yourself.

People are expected to work, typically, eight hours per day. This is what they are paid for. From my observation, many people are not working a minute more than the minimum, and they aren’t even working all eight hours. Many people are simply going through the motions, trying to get by. Not only are they cheating their employers, they are cheating themselves.

Doing more than you are expected to do will pay great rewards in the long run. Payback is rarely immediate, but it will happen. Someone will notice and someone will recognize your efforts.

There’s a caveat: you must be doing work that engages you, inspires you, and you would do it for free if you could. If this isn’t your current situation, it’s in your hands to take a leap of faith and do what turns you on. Make the change and experience life more fully.

There will always be ups and downs. Yet, when you are fulfilled it makes the downs sustainable.

Make your move…

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