What Does Your Road Map Look Like? How About?. . . A Road Map for the Journey, Paving the path with Words that Empower, Traveling the Distance we have in Sight, Recognizing and Embracing the Moments while we Travel. Now that sounds like my kind of Road Trip! DILIGENT - Characterized by Steady, Earnest and Energetic Effort. AWAKE - to become aroused or active again. To become conscious or aware of something (awoke to the possibilities) PERSEVERANCE - Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition. The action or condition or an instance of persevering. VITALITY - A lively or energetic quality. Capacity to live and develop. Also, physical or mental vigor especially when highly developed. CONFIDENT - Having a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something. Having Confidence. Full of Conviction. RESILIENT - Tending to recover from or adjust easily to Misfortune or Change. FOCUSED - A Main Purpose or Interest. A State of Condition permitting clear perception or understanding. TENACIOUS - Not easily stopped or pulled apart. Firm or Strong. Very Determined to do something. DETERMINATION - A quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult. The act of officially deciding something. ENGAGED - Involved in Activity. Being in Gear. PERSPECTIVE - The Capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance. OPTIMISTIC - An Inclination to put the most Favorable Construction upon Actions and Events or to anticipate the best possible outcome. ALERT - Able to think clearly and to notice things. Quick to Perceive and Act. CONSISTENT - Possessing Firmness or Coherence. Marked by Harmony, Regularity, or Steady Continuity. Free from Variation or Contradiction. PEACEFUL - Untroubled by Conflict, Agitation or Commotion. Quiet and Tranquil. WHAT POWER WORDS WOULD YOU INCLUDE FOR THE JOURNEY THAT YOU ARE TRAVELING? "This is the Day that I Will Embrace, Blessed to Be In to Win It and To Encourage others Along the Way" - Y. Terry "CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION, CHANGE YOUR LIFE" Who do you see in the mirror? Who are you? What do you offer that comes so natural to you, that it is the same as breathing, with NO thought required. In that place, you have the greatest joy, in sharing it, in doing it, and or in just thinking about it. We all have something to offer and to me it is the same as your fingerprint, each one of us having uniquely our own. What hinders the process of developing in that area or operating in it, investing in it, sharing it, doing it more often? Now for some folks, maybe they already do, as we speak are operating in the arena they are passionate about. . and if that includes "YOU", I applaud you, keep moving and discovering New Heights to travel! Time is fleeting and very often daily distractions, obligations take us away, I would even say "ROB" us of some time to embrace and or develop our dreams, our goals, our aspirations to travel the path that our Vision has shown us. Living life, doing more of what we love to do and know that our daily life should encompass. I have "Great News". . .we can get started NOW and WE CAN. . . I can be the Change, I want to see. YOU can be the Change you want to see. It all starts with WHO we see in the Mirror, with WHO we already know that we were born to be. It is that place of passion, and a belief that our purpose centers around it. It could be the littlest thing or it could be a monumental thing, the point, is to start the Journey, to find that place. . .if you don't know what drives you, what brings you the most joy, then Your Homework is REFLECTION and REVIEW. Look back at your life and what have you been drawn to, what are the activities that you were quick to be involved in. If You Know Your Place of Passion. . .then it is time to Develop it, to take it to the Next Level and Travel to the Highest Levels possible. CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION, CHANGE YOUR LIFE Our lives drive in the direction, to the place that we believe we belong or should be. If our environment, our circle of friends, our confidants are not empowering, they are not uplifting, positive, even visionaries, an asset to our life, then REFLECTION is necessary, a better word is VITAL! Where do you want to Drive? What direction do you see up ahead, what does your map look like? Time is an Investment and Who we spend time with. . .what we do with our time, is a vital and a key component. When time is spent, you never will get that time back. The company we keep, the places we go, when we are building, developing, moving in the direction that our VISION is Driving us to, or in taking a breath of appreciation of the place that we are in. . . . It is imperative to be alert to those you allow to speak into your life. That includes anyone around you, or what you read, what you watch and or listen to, especially when if it delivers a barrel of Negativity. The truth is we all have a story and it really is not about, What Happened to Us, it is about What we Do with it that matters. How we react to life's challenges, determines if we choose to operate as a Victim or Victorious. I will close with a "Be On Alert" Message: Take a moment and reflect on WHO and WHERE you spend your time. Listen closer to the conversations you are having with the company you keep. When someone is speaking into your life, rather they have been invited to do so or not, consider the Source. Take a moment and reflect and ask yourself? This person is speaking to me about my situation and or about my life, about me. . .in that space, ask yourself. . .What does their life reflect? What does it look like in the very area that they are speaking to me about? Giving advice to me on? The bottom line are they qualified to speak into my life. . . Are they an asset or are they a liability? "CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION, CHANGE YOUR LIFE" I would revise the last line. . .Have Faith in what can be. . you drive the direction of your life by your perception. Where are you driving to? If you have a Website, Facebook Page or a Blog , be sure to share with us.. .Life should be a WIN-WIN for all involved so that means your voice, your Perspective is Welcomed! Great READ THIS MONTH, if you are looking to Renew, Refresh, Revise and Revitalize your Perspective. Check out the Book Club Connection. What are you Grateful for Today? I agree with this statement: "When you know better, you do better" Have you said. . or heard someone say; "When I get this. . .then I'll do this" or "When I make this amount or have this much money saved. . .then I'll be. . .", "I will travel more. .after I. . ", "When I retire, I'll be able to do more. . .", or "I plan to spend more quality time with my. . .". Face it, planning is an important part of who we are and Goal Setting is Great! We all have dreams and aspirations and it requires effort to plan and implement and that of course comes with some form of effort and activity. However, I've often wondered the price paid for the present day. Are you aware of the syndrome, "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda". Somehow it seems today can easily be robbed of what it offers and in the value of what it gives, in some form or fashion, including the burden of pondering on yesterday's decisions, while working diligently on tomorrow's plans Somehow TODAY gets quickly categorized into being used up in the review and or in the planning. I was listening to someone who stated "our lives are One Phone Call Away from a Drastic Change, good or bad news, celebration or tragedy, it really is a way of saying Living. It is called Life. We all recognize that nothing stays the same forever. HOW CAN WE LOOK CLOSER ON HOW WE CAN TAKE HOLD OF TODAY? I was recently asked, "What do you mean by Embrace the Day? How does that happen? Very good questions. . .immediately the word "ENGAGEMENT" comes to mind. Definitions for me, in some cases, are helpful to formulate the thought, the process. So in reference to the word "ENGAGEMENT" it is defined using the (Online Merriam-Webster) resource. For definition purpose, I'm sharing what I believe applies here and including the definitions that best fits the word and the premise of it being utilized here. something that engages : pledge the act of engaging : the state of being engaged Engaging adjective : very attractive or pleasing in a way that holds your attention Engaged: involved in activity So from this definition, bringing it together, to answer the question of "How Can You or I Embrace the Day?, that would be. . . To currently be involved in today's activities and to HOLD our ATTENTION of what we're focusing on. Engaging by choice, what is attractive or pleasing to us in some way. The question is What are You? and What Am I Grateful For Today? I'll throw in one to start, I woke up this morning in a Healthy state of Spirit, Mind and Body and for that I'm Extremely Grateful. . . .how many did not (I stop and reflect on that thought alone). Your Turn. . .So What are YOU GRATEFUL for TODAY? Starting Now, before our day begins it could start with that One thing You and I are GRATEFUL for and to do the same at the close of the day, reflecting on the conversations we've had, the activity of what encompassed our day, all before retiring to sleep. To actually take a few minutes to REFLECT and that to me is EMBRACING THE DAY, we live Life, so it will naturally encompass the prior and the plan, BUT NOW, YOU and I by CHOICE are ENGAGED in the DAY and NOT ROBBED of it. This is another step on the Journey and for me that includes my belief, if you "CAN CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE" so it will require an Engaged effort daily until it becomes a habit, the same as brushing our teeth, it will be apart of us without thought or planning to do it. This will include reflection of what needs to be pruned in our life, what needs to be cut off in some cases and what do we need to feed more on and become more involved with (which includes people and activities). You and I get to choose, if we live a life of being Positive or Negative, Pessimistic or Optimistic, Depressed or Joyful, with a Frown or with a Smile. We actually get that Choice and we are already engaged in those decisions daily, whether we are conscious or not about it. For the record, none of us are in Control of everything, I would venture to even say most things and things will come that can be great distractions or even a thorn in our side, but the key, is IN THOSE MOMENTS, we can EMBRACE, REFLECT and take action, by first remembering "IT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO US, IT IS HOW WE REACT THAT COUNTS". WHAT CAN YOU SAY YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR TODAY? Reading a great book this month,
in the H.B.B.A. Book Club "The War of Art", something to Feed our Perspective. WOW. . .WAIT. . .WHAT HAPPENED AGAIN? Time to focus, Make a Point to be Attentive, to Be in the Moment. This can be applied to travels in the Marketplace and in our Personal lives and conversations. I can personally relate to both areas . . . In relation to the Marketplace, while running errands, I made a point to be observant watching the interaction of people with me and including with each other In conversations, I made a point to make eye contact while talking, being focused on the conversation being shared, appreciating tidbits of information being passed along, in some cases enjoying a good laugh of a story shared. (Side note: It's been said LAUGHTER is associated with Health Benefits ). While being observant, one of the more disheartening things was recognizing that the art of courtesy is dismal and a smile has become a rare commodity. What happened? I'm sure at one point those who interact on behalf of any company to service customers at one time had to interview and I reflect on the fact that it must have been a day that they dressed in their best, they interviewed with a smile and said all the right things to show their commitment to the Company's philosophy, quality, professional service, so what happens?! There had to be that point and time that they were excited, grateful to be offered the position. So What Happened? Did they meet the Company Crab Apples and "Join the Movement" of deciding to be miserable and pass that along to those they service. Have they become miserable or dissatisfied? Have they forgotten that the option is always open for seeking another position. The focus should be "To Be the Best Version of Me", so when interacting with others we all need to try to come from a positive perspective, greet, smile, make eye contact and realize You Have a Choice, We have a Choice in the behavior we pass along to others, while in the marketplace, so why not choose to be positive?! Listen, I get that folks have a bad day, or maybe are in the midst of facing serious issues, challenges in life, but the Greatest Victory is even when your feet are deep in mud, to keep treading along and remain FOCUSED on ENJOYING THE JOURNEY! That is a Powerful tool and a Dagger of Death to the thing that wants to be a burden, that wants to take your energy and rob you and me of precious time by worrying or focused on it. Once time is spent, it is done, so don't let the negatives of life decide the direction and attitude of the day, the time that you and I have, the now, we must decide to choose to use every moment wisely. In relation to my Personal Interactions, with loved ones, dear friends, I can truly relate to trying to "focus", to be in the NOW - - - it takes effort, most of my days consist of multitasking, addressing the needs of the day, including preparation for the next day and in the midst of all of that, my children want my attention too, SURPRISE?! Of course, quite naturally, they want to share a story from school, or a friend's joke, or simply to watch something on television that they want to share or handing me something to read, etc. I want to hear it also and I'm grateful that they want to share it with me, but I thought of course I can surely listen while doing the "To Do" list at the same time. Now, In those moments, I've decided to STOP and LISTEN, to Make Eye Contact. Unlike times past, where I was listening while doing something else at the same time and kids are really perceptive and smart and they know the look of Half Listening. I've had to make a conscious decision to be in the moment with whomever I'm having an interaction of conversation with. The reason is because I hold the gold of the "NOW" Moment. Time is fleeting and nothing remains the same. We have to appreciate the time we have with those we care about, before you realize it they may not be available and or accessible. WHEN I think about the "WHY" I do the things that I do to earn income, to build a business (solopreneur at heart), it really all centers on the primary reason of more time to be with those I love, doing more of the things I love to do, making a difference in my community and leaving my neck of the woods a little better than I found it.
As a child of God, it is important to me to operate from love, to be reminded of those things I'm grateful for, My Perspective by Choice is to face each day as a day of possibilities, new opportunities, and always recognizing their is something to always be grateful for. . ."NOW" If any of this resonates with your experiences, of balancing spinning plates, multitasking, or losing focus by distractions of negativity. I want to Say to you, JUST STOP, BE FOCUSED, BE IN THE MOMENT of what's IMPORTANT TO YOU. That kind of living is pure gold and truly priceless, the challenge is to hold on to it! |
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January 2024
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