I worked with a civilian contractor early in my military career. Whenever I would say “life sucks”, Mrs. Brown would reply back with, “life is what you make it.” Now more than 25 years later, I finally understand what she was trying to say. What we choose to focus on, is what we attract, whether “good” or “bad”. In other words, like Facebook, once you begin a search, it will continue to feed your timeline with similar posts.
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Look for ways to get around the obstacles to your success. The great thing about an obstacle in life is that you can get around them and/or learn from them. If you are focused and determined to achieve a specific goal in, an obstacle is just a speed bump, a detour or a delay. There is nothing that can stop a determined soul.
We are just about two weeks away from the end of the year. Now is the perfect time to take inventory of what worked for you this year and what you should consider changing for next year. I like to call it, The Year End Reflection. This is also a great time to plan out your goals for next year, both professional or personal. Let’s bring in 2017 with gratitude in our hearts and goals on our minds.
I used to argue, fuss and fight to voice my opinion. Those days are long gone. People are quick to offer up opinions based on what “they” believe. For example, if someone says that something you want to do is “impossible” it is based on the opinion that it is impossible for “them”. Realizing this, instead of arguing, I allow folks to “keep” their opinion and I go about with my own. I just say “watch me!”
In one of the books I read, it stated that we can not connect the dots unless we look back. Looking back is good once in a while, but your future is in front of you. Learn to reconcile and appreciate all of the events in your past because they have made you the person you are today. That means the choices you make today, will lead you to the person you wish to become tomorrow. How cool is that? You can become the master of your fate and the captain of your soul!
One of my top priorities is to always take care of the people or things that take care of me. Whether it is making sure the family is taken care of, the park passes are current or the car needs maintenance, whatever allows me to keep moving forward in doing what I do best is what I take care first. Take care of those things that take care of you. Focus on what makes you happy and brings you peace and fulfillment.
I am watching my love bird climb his cage to check out a lamp I placed above his cage. He is always investigating things around his cage. I have to stay mindful about what I place near his cage. What I love the most is that after 13 years, he is still curious about things and he is willing to check things out.
I listen to motivational messages on YouTube daily. Many messages state it takes “hard work” to achieve your dreams. I used to get hung up on the phrase “hard work” because I thought is applied to just physical work. Working on your character is just as hard as working on your physical self. You have to take care of your mind just like you have to take care of your body.
There is something to learn from everyone. What folks sometime forget to realize is that the road is often a two way street. You have something valuable to teach as well as anyone else. Perhaps when people cross your path, it’s not because of who THEY are but it’s because of who YOU are.
Many people describe the type of work that they do when you ask “tell me about yourself”. What I discovered is what we do is not who we are. As I develop my talents, skills or gifts, I am finding that they are slowly making a way for me. The opportunities are endless if your are not afraid the be limitless. By only focusing on what you “do”, you will never discover what you can become.