Positive Ability

Do you ever wonder why you are doing what you’re doing? Do you wonder what your purpose is in life? In business?

Have you reached your goals? Do you have goals? Really? You do? Do you remember what they are? Are you on track to achieve them? What have you done to achieve/accomplish your goals?

I know … it seems like I’m full of questions this morning. And I am. The point of these questions is to motivate you to get brutally honest with yourself about who you are, where you are and where you want to be. And, quite honestly, unless we are prodded to do that … we usually don’t. It’s not natural to put ourselves under a microscope and dissect our own behaviors. But we must do it if we are to be successful in our goals.

In any goal setting process there are twists and turns. As we map out our goals we tend to adjust and amend as we go. Preparing a written set of goals in an easy to read, easy to follow and easy to adhere to format is key. The human psyche tends to place more importance on things we have written than on things that we think about. There’s something about the validity of the written word that reinforces our ideas.

If you’re ready to figure out your goals, align your actions to meet those goals and, in general, get back on track … call me. We can work on getting you on track to recognize your goals and attain them.

The following video clip is full of inspiration … if you just open your mind to some very unavoidable truths.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Most of us will remember Karen Carpenter singing about Rainy Days and Mondays, and with today’s weather … that song has been playing over and over in my head.

It’s a gray, cool and rainy day here in the Piedmont. The windows are open, the light breeze curling the sheers … the smell of fresh rain filling the house. Mix it all with the sounds of the birds and the crickets … it’s the closest you can get to heaven on earth.

For many a rainy day is almost devastating. It lends itself to depression, poor attention spans, inability to focus … in general, it messes with a person’s drive. But it doesn’t have to!

Sure, it’s inconvenient if you have to go out. It’s not the prettiest color of the sky, nor the best way to have a good hair day! But it’s a great way to get all kinds of things done.

Think! Think! Where’s that ‘to do’ list that you keep shuffling to the bottom of the pile? What’s on it? Clean the fridge? Catch up on laundry? Organize your office? Finish some files? Catch up on your blogging/reading?

So what’s stopping you? Answer ::: YOU are. You’ve decided (yes decided) to allow Mother Nature to control your time. Don’t do it! Mother Nature is an incredible force, but she cannot control you unless you let her.

Take charge! Back away from the computer/television/phone/etc and get busy. Make the most of this down-time. Get all those things marked off your list!

Now! Don’t you feel better? Of course you do ….

It seems as though once in a while there is a ’spirit’ that we can’t see or touch that speaks to us. That shakes us into awareness … making us wonder what type of changes are absolutely necessary to succeed. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and professionally.

Well, the ’spirit’ recently grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. Very hard. Hard enough to make me realize that I had to make some serious changes in the way I thought about life. My life.

I was recently diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Yes – good old adult onset diabetes. As the doctor spoke the words I felt like I had lost a good friend. That old friend that loved anything resembling dessert, anything resembling a devil-may-care diet. The ‘old me’ was leaving on a long trip … the new me had arrived … without notice.

A few weeks into this adjustment I have to say … I feel so much better than I had been feeling. I’ve lost some weight – still more to go – and have learned to eat healthier meals. I’ve also discovered that there is almost any dessert imaginable made in sugar-free form! Even my beloved ice cream! Yippee!

The lesson here? Occasionally we are thrown a curve ball. It happens. But even when we aren’t quite sure how to react to that curve ball … there is a solution if we stop and take stock of the situation. Then it’s up to us to make an informed and educated decision on how to proceed.

I am now a diabetic. Big deal. I will handle it. I will control it. I will still rise with the sun and make the most of every day. It’s who I am.

How do you deal with the unexpected? Do you cave in? Crumble? Panic?

I am here if you need me. We can work on it together.

Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them.
Washington Irving

Often times we are faced with decisions that are uncomfortable for us. Decisions about career, family, money and faith. And these are uncomfortable because it seems that no matter what we decide … we are fearful that it will be the wrong decision.

We tend to think that if we take a martyr-like stance and absorb all the discomfort from a decision that we will be protecting our friends, family and loved ones. But are we?

In protecting others feelings are we sacrificing our own progress? Are we sabotaging our own success? Are we standing in our own way?

To get the real answer there has to be some brutally honest thinking going on. We have to open our minds to ‘hear’ answers that we don’t want to acknowledge.

Are you ready to do that?

Are you ready to meet yourself … head on?

It’s possible to find a middle ground where you don’t have to sacrifice your own success to be a success to others.

Pride can be an ugly thing. But ego … it’s even uglier.

Remember … if you straddle the fence, you’re going to get splinters.

Splintered fence

There is a constant urging in this modern world to become all things to all people. And we strive to place ourselves above all the rest. After all … that’s what it’s about, isn’t it? Isn’t that what will measure our success?

We are led to believe that with all the modern day conveniences such as iPhones, computers, PDAs, Kindles and the like, that we have to make ourselves available to the world at a moment’s notice. The world will certainly fall apart if we don’t jump the minute we are called!

Much of our business time is spent talking with people, returning phone calls, tending to details that would make Einstein crack. But sometimes … we just need to shut down. Regroup. Re-charge. Reinvigorate. Even RE-INVENT.

Yes … re-invent. And that can be the toughest challenge yet. But when we become stagnant and ambivalent to the point that we are carrying out our daily duties in a fog, then it’s time to change. RE-invent ourselves.

So go ahead! Refresh your senses. Refresh your talents. Refresh your thoughts. Take that down time. The world will continue to spin. The sun will rise and set, the rains will come and go. And in the new light of dawn you will be better prepared to take on the day.

You clients and customers will notice the difference in your attitude. Your friends will notice that you are more like your old self. And YOU will notice that YOU have a whole new outlook on your life, your business and yourself.

So …. Pick a day, a week, whatever. Schedule your RE-invention. Plan to not plan on doing anything that does not appeal to you, and …

• Do something that you have put off for far too long. Get a haircut, a manicure, a pedicure, go shopping, see a movie, read a book … Just do it for YOU.
• Make it a point to learn something new. It need not be a whole new process, but maybe some innocuous little fact that will mean nothing to anyone but you.
• Play! That’s right … PLAY! Do something carefree and silly. Laugh!

And remember …

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

Nelson Mandela
South African Statesman – b 1918 – Nobel Prize Winner 1993

Now get out there and do something just for YOU! Now sing along and be silly! You deserve it!

Have you ever said …. “I wonder …” when faced with a decision or situation that requires change on  your part?   Have you wondered just long enough that you never made that change?  Of course you have.  You’re human.

The one true thing about change is that without it … we’re doomed.  Doomed to repeat our mistakes, doomed to apathy, doomed to complacency.  Just plain doomed.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.  Not at all.

In life we reach levels of comfort.  That soft place where we don’t have to change.  Where we can muddle along, living by rote not inspiration.  But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t change.  It doesn’t mean that if we ignore those nagging feelings of wonder that somehow we will be alright.  Nope … doesn’t mean that at all.

It’s natural to fear what we don’t understand or can’t see.  There’s no shame in that.  The shame is in not embracing opportunities.  Opportunities to grow, learn, test, challenge, experiment, experience, feel, touch, smell and be. Like the Army says … Be all you can be!  But are you ready to do that?  Really?  Are you sure?

Well, if you’re ready to challenge wonder … to feel the excitement, experience the unknown, and BE … then we should talk.  You will never know what waits for you if you don’t look out that window … If you don’t reach just a little higher … a little further …

“What we think or what we know
or what we believe is, in the
end, of little consequence.
The only consequence is what we do”
- John Ruskin

Are you having one of those days?  You know … those days when you feel like no matter what you do it’s never enough.   No matter what you do or say … it’s the wrong thing.  You’re paddling upstream but going nowhere.

Guess what?  We have all had those days.  Some of us have more of them than not.  But the important part is this …

You can take control of your world.  YOU can turn it into anything you want.  It’s up to YOU.

And in your mind you just said, “Yeah, right.”  You did, didn’t you?  I know you did.  Most people will.  But you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration with that mindset.

If you’re ready to change your direction, change your outlook, or just simply take charge of your world … then call me, email me or respond to this blog.  It’s that simple.  Really.

Try it.  It’s painless.

You have nothing to lose … but much to gain.