Leopards At Your Backdoor

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.” ― Og Mandino

There are days when we feel the entire weight of the world has just been placed upon our shoulders. Your boss or co-workers seem to be making your life miserable. There are people in cars, those other drivers, on the road purposely getting in your way, caring not to help you to get somewhere faster. Your friends don't seem to call any more, the house has another roof leak and everyone in your family are constantly arguing.

The reality of what life is offering you at this moment isn't very pleasing.

You begin to ask why you have it so bad and why all of these things are happening to you. You tell yourself, "I'm a good person, I smile at other people, I stay positive. If I'm doing all of these things, why is it happening just to me?"

Life is what is happening; as simple of an answer that I can give.

Circumstances occur everyday to to everyone in life. It may certainly feel like you are the only one with these issues, but lots of other people are going through the same thing. The reason it feels like only you is circumstance causes you to narrow your focus in life.

We narrow our focus on just those things that are associated with your life. A survival technique I suppose, but is a way for our brain to allow itself to cope with all that is going on. This narrow focus can be both good and bad.

Good in that it forces us to take account of what is happening around us. It takes away the distractions of other people and events so we can concentrate on solving the issues before us. Bad in that it disconnects us from other people, from those who can truly help us through those rough times.

To know that you are not alone.

The feeling of being alone when trying to overcome a problem can be demoralizing. But if we surround ourselves with family, friends and other people, words of encouragement are sure to follow. When you begin to hear the encouragement, advice and ideas, you begin to see life may not be nearly as bad as you think.

In a suburb of Mumbai, India, living can be stressful as well.

In a metropolitan area with the population soaring to 18 million people, you can imagine the kinds of issues faced in any big city. You might even think that living in the suburbs is quite nice. As with many of our suburbs in the US, the city of Mumbai has caught up with this suburb called Mulund which is northeast of Mumbai. Like any major metropolitan city most anywhere correct?

Yet most of us living in the suburbs do not have to contend with leopards.

This suburb of Mumbai borders the Borivli National Park. As one may see deer in our garden on an early morning, think of encountering a leopard sunning on your patio in the afternoon. A resident was mauled a few years ago.

You see, it is all a matter of perspective.

So you think you have things to worry about? Yes, I am sure you do. I would not want to say your issues are any less important. Problems, circumstance and those things we confront are very individual in nature. Each of us, no matter where we live have issues to deal with in our lives.

Just do not shut your self out from the rest of life.

There is so much help and support out there for you. It is difficult at best when you try to do things all on your own.

Seek the support you need.

Surround and connect yourself with others at all times. Those connections will help you get through the worst of times. those same connections will also be there to share with you the best of times.

Stay inspired my friends.

What Rules Your Life

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald

In life, we try to set ourselves in the company of others and within circumstances that allow us to experience opportunities to grow and advance. The kind of people we associate with, the places we hang around, the types of books we read and the things we watch. All of these things can have an impact on our life and many times in subtle ways we barely detect.

And many times we do not get to choose our circumstance.

Life has a way of placing a rock in the bag of stuff we are carrying in our lives. Driving to work and nails poorly secured on another vehicle creating a flat tire to impact your morning. An illness that seems to come out of nowhere. A local power outage right in the middle of your favorite television show.

How we respond to every circumstance depends upon one thing...attitude.

Charles Swindoll wrote, "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our Attitudes."

It is with that by which we control how our day will be and in turn how we will treat others.

Circumstance will not rule our lives if we have the right attitude.

Stay inspired my friends!

Moo Like a Turkey

“It is easier to make excuses about our circumstances than actually do anything about them.” ― Jeffrey Fry

In life we tend to complain about our circumstances. The "woe is me" crowd always complaining about how life has done them wrong or never seeing anything positive happen in their lives. Yet these same people will do the same things over and over again.

Maybe once in a while we need to "moo" like a cow.

Circumstance and bad times are blind to whom they affect. Many times it just happens that we are the one in their path. If getting those things to side step you by doing something different (sounding like a cow), maybe you have done enough to avoid them this time.

Try to change up the sameness with something different.

Change the possibility of circumstance in your life.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday (in the USA) and whatever you are doing this holiday. And don't be surprised if you hear one or two "mooing" sounds out there.

Stay inspired my friends.

Pressing Through

"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength." - Author Unknown

There are days in which we battle a seemingly endless fight against circumstances. The constant struggle to overcome and achieve goodness in our life can seem lonely. Other people may provide sympathy or recommend that you quit trying, while there are others whom offer encouragement.

The struggle still remains your own.

But are you truly alone in your fight to 'keep it together'? My belief has always been that a higher power exists and is there, giving me strength and support to work through all of it. For me, my faith allows me to press through when the 'chips are down'. For others, belief and faith may come from something else.

It is this spirit of support that exists to help and give you strength when it seems no one else is. You can draw from the encouragement of others to persevere. Which is a good reason to seek out encouragement and advice from both the spirit you believe in and other people.

I am not trying to go off into some 'new age' healing speech here. What I am saying is that you can draw strength from many sources even when it seems none exist. When you push through, the results will astound you. The success and wisdom gained will serve you well when circumstance befalls you again.

And circumstance will befall you again most likely, that is just 'life' happening.

I have faith in all that you can do and chances are pretty good that I don't even know you. That is how much belief I have in the ability of the human spirit to succeed. Be encouraged and comforted in knowing that many others also believe in you. Draw strength from it and you will find your path to the other side of circumstance.

Stay inspired my friends.

Figure It Out

"Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle." - Lewis Carroll

I happened upon an early morning Facebook status which read, "Trying to figure it out.?!?" It was a question that made me think this person had life questions to answer. Their statement surely meant they were questioning a decision to be made or the results of a decision already made.

There are so many possibilities one might conjure up regarding what is happening in this person's world. It could be good, it could be bad, but nonetheless it seems to be a troubling question to them.

Many things happen to us throughout our life.

Events and circumstances can cause us to wonder the 'why' of it all. A roller coaster ride sending us into a low spot or even derailing. The path we take in life gets challenged by these events. Each one can cause even the most positive person to wonder the same thing - why?

Knowing each of us will one day be "trying to figure it out" helps prepare you for those moments. It does not make it any easier but we need to understand that life is full of puzzling moments.

And life is also full of great moments.

Phrases such as "the sun will shine once again" or even the well used "...light at the end of the tunnel" seem old and outdated. In fact some people even refer to that light as an oncoming train.

While those phrases might be old and worn, I insist those statements do support your ability to overcome adversity.

You may not feel like it, but rest assure, life will get better.

You will "figure out how."
You will "get through the circumstance."
You will "figure out the question."

Stay inspired my friends!

Feeling Peckish? Good!

"If you don't like what you're getting, then change what you're doing. It's up to you." - Pat Croce

Your word of the day is peckish.

peckish
\ PEK-ish \

adjective;
1. somewhat hungry: By noon we were feeling a bit peckish.
2. rather irritable: He's always a bit peckish after his nap.

Are you feeling a bit peckish for greater things in your life?

Are you somewhat peckish about your job and career?

Those two questions sound like the start to an infomercial for a miracle pill, book or online course to solve all your problems. An instant career in this one little pill taken twice daily for a month. Play these easy listening audio courses and you too can have the large yacht and buckets full of no more misery.

All for the low price of $99.

It would be great if that is all it took to get over feeling peckish about life. The one pill for all weight loss goals. The one book to give us all the success we need. The one idea to propel us to greatness. Instant, easy and ready made just for us.

Reality soon dissolves that wish and takes your $99.

Being peckish helps to motivate you. It can inspire you to learn more, to experience more, to get up and stop wishing for the instant fix. It makes you think about changing the way you view your job and those around you. It makes you think about changing your circumstance either within the situation or moving on to greater adventures.

You have two choices once you become peckish.

One is to do nothing, remain tired and annoyed at the situation. The second choice is to get up and do something about it. It is a simple case of choosing one of two options that can be the hardest thing in your life to decide.

Choose to change your condition.

Make a choice to not let circumstance define you but rather you define you. And stay inspired my friends.

Does Circumstance Decide?

"I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also, much more than that. So are we all." - James A. Baldwin

At different points in your life time, how you respond to a situation will determine much about the direction of your life. The circumstances that occur around you can have an impact upon your attitude and beliefs. It may even seem that life in general is 'out' to get you.

I have seen people let those circumstances get the better of them.

These people fall deeper into depression, some have turned angry and one or two took their own life. All of these options are difficult and can have a devastating outcome. But you have to find a way to push through and know inside you are important.

Only you can make the decision to change your life.

Do not think that I am saying that depression and suicidal tendencies are fixed by smiling and 'being positive'. Both of these are serious and you should seek professional help. What I am saying is that you can slip towards these conditions by allowing events in your life to take over. And you have to battle against those circumstances.

A lost job promotion, injury from an accident, divorce or whatever it might be. Each of these events can mark a turn in your life. How you decide to emerge from these events will determine your life in the short term and many time the long term.

A radio story on National Public Radio gave a good example of turning your circumstance into something positive. It is the story of Ricardo Pitts, a man that had his life changed in the late sixties. As Ricardo puts it, "And what could have been a crushing moment in my life really was just something different. I said 'No, I’m not going to give in."

He was not going to let circumstance hold him back.

As for all of us, circumstances which occur around and through your life will always be there. It is how to you respond to them that matters. Turn your life around, use life experience in a positive way to make that life of yours better.

And stay inspired my friends.

Stuff Happens

"One's life is not as fixed as one believes. Surprises may lie in store for you, the unexpected often tends to happen, sometimes bringing in its train the most delightful change in one's life or circumstances." -Elizabeth Aston

cir·cum·stance (sûrkm-stns)

1. A condition or fact attending an event and having some bearing on it; a determining or modifying factor.
2. A condition or fact that determines or must be considered in the determining of a course of action.
3. The sum of determining factors beyond willful control. Often used in the plural: a victim of circumstance; work that will begin on Monday if circumstances permit.
4. circumstances Financial status or means: "Prior came of a good family, much reduced in circumstances" George Sherburn.
5. Detail accompanying or surrounding an event, as in a narrative or series of events.
6. Formal display; ceremony: the pomp and circumstance of a coronation.
7. A particular incident or occurrence: Your arrival was a fortunate circumstance.

Idioms:
under no circumstances
In no case; never.
under/in the circumstances
Given these conditions; such being the case.

There is a saying that I am sure all have heard before. Without being vulgar in my writing, I will change the wording slightly. The saying is, "Sometimes STUFF happens." I am sure you can fill in the appropriate word within the saying. And it is true, life happens each and every day. There is no seeming rhyme nor reason to any of it. Things will happen at various times in your life, no escaping that fact.

When these things happen, you shouldn't waste your time wondering the why and how. Sure it is good to try and understand what led to the condition. Yet how you conduct yourself, how you respond to these circumstances will determine how well and how quickly you get past it.

There are people I have known that will spend time and time again focusing on the 'why' and very little time on the 'getting past' the circumstance. Repeatedly they bring it up and turn it in circles, looking it over and over. They become so focused on the issue that they are unable to see an outcome or resolution.

So the next time something occurs in your life, know that STUFF happens. It is not an assault upon your life. Stop and examine what you can of it and then move on. Take the experience of having gone through it and let it lead you to something greater. Keep moving, your future awaits.

Stay inspired my friends!

Positive Leadership

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.” -Viktor Frankl

There are times in your life when your attitude will be tested. It may be a family issue, problems at work and sometimes it occurs in your church life. How you respond to these tests of life will dictate many times the outcome of each. It will dictate the direction of your life. The point being is that your attitude can have a huge impact upon your life.

A few years back, a friend went through a couple of job changes. They were not of his doing and he simply was caught in the circumstances of the times. He and his wife also had various challenges with children, health and the death of relatives.

They were experiencing many of the things all of us go through. Yet to compound all of that with job loss seemed too much for anyone to carry on their shoulders. It seemed that they were carrying an unfair share of life's problems. Certainly they had every right to complain. But he kept an attitude of positive thought under the pressure.

My friend lost his first job due to company layoffs, but he had positioned himself to gain another job rather quickly. In this second job, it was a good one but after a short amount of time, a returning soldier was given his job back. The employer had promised to keep both but circumstances had changed and only one could be kept. There being no room, my friend was let go. The returning soldier deserved his old job back and so my friend left with a cheerful heart.

What happend to my friend? He kept looking, kept his attitude positive and landed a job to manage another, larger company. It was a bigger position with more responsibility and leadership. It was the job that was waiting to meet up with him at the right intersection and time in life. This man will know who he is and I'm proud to know him. He is a man of great character, great attitude and a leader among those he comes in contact with.

It is those qualities by which great leaders operate. Leaders who have learned and continue to learn how to 'rule' their attitudes. These people know how they want to feel and then chose to feel that way. Their mood and choices help create the end result. You too can be that kind of person, with the right kind of attitude.

Stay inspired my friends!

What Is Being Thrown At You

"Troubles are inevitable but misery is optional." -Joel Osteen

Most sorry about the graphic picture today, but life has its fill of bad days along with many good days. This just happened to be one of those "bad days" for a judge.

The picture is of Brazilian javelin judge Lia Mara Lourenco being helped by colleagues and medics after a javelin, launched during warm-ups by a competitor, pierced her foot before the start of the competition in a national athletics championship called Trofeu Brasil (Trophy Brazil) in Sao Paulo September 24, 2006. Lourenco was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery to remove the javelin tip.

As reported in Sports Illustrated, "...she wasn't hurt as bad as you might think. Lourenco underwent surgery to remove the javelin and was released from the hospital with nothing more than a fractured pinkie toe."

I am amused by the statement "not be as bad you might think" in the news article. My guess is Ms. Lourenco would beg to differ with that statement.

In life we are going to have moments that catch us off guard. Maybe our attention to what is going on around us slips for a bit. The important thing is that we recover and get back into the game of life. Never let a momentary lapse in attention, which might possibly lead to pain, keep you from continuing on your path to greatness.

The hurt that will happen to us may not "be as bad you might think" but to each of us individually it is the worst hurt imaginable. The pain and disappointment is very real but how you overcome and get through will determine your next outcome in life. Just know that life and circumstance are going to throw stuff at you. Some of it you will have the ability to avoid. Other things will not be so easy to avoid, but you get to make the choice on how you will respond.

Keep getting back up, pull the javelin out of your foot and move forward. And above all, stay inspired my friends.

Keep Smiling

"Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth." -Martin H. Fischer

Each of us, including me, get discouraged at times. Our work, our relationships, our lives can go through periods of frustration and disappointment. Many times it is simply circumstance finding its way onto the path we are walking.

For me the frustration is work at this time and I do know that this too shall pass. I do not blame the frustration on others but upon how I am responding to it. So with that, I will be taking a bit of my own medicine today.

When things get to a point when it seems all is lost, keep smiling and always look on the bright side of life.

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...



So keep looking upon the bright side of life folks and stay inspired!

Life Happens

"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of." -Jim Rohn

I am like everyone else out there, working each day towards achieving my dreams. I work to plan and execute the steps that will take me closer to the realization of them. I sit back and evaluate what is working and what isn't working. And I try to stay focused and upbeat about every step along the way.

Then life happens to me. Circumstance and happenstance stroll by and get in the way of what I thought was a perfect plan. It could be any number of things and in all cases we want to find blame for our misfortune. All along, it is just life happening around us.

It isn't that anyone or any one thing is trying to get in our way. Life is not a well planned soap opera, with a script dictating your next downfall. Life is simply going on and crossed paths with you.

Think of how you cross paths with opportunity. Opportunity is not searching you out. You are out there in life, doing the things you do which places you in position to cross paths with opportunity. The same will happen with circumstance, it just happens.

What determines your outcome from circumstance is how you respond to it. If you choose to blame others and take on the burdensome rocks of complaint in your wagon, it will only slow you down. If you choose to become a "woe is me" kind of person, than all you are doing is carrying more stuff in your life that you really don't need.

Circumstance is going to happen and how you choose to respond will dictate the level of burden it causes in your life. Choose to rise above it and beyond it. Choose to carry on with the things that matter.

Raise the BAR

"The present is the ever moving shadow that divides yesterday from tomorrow. In that lies hope." -Frank Lloyd Wright

Today was one of those days where rocks and boulders kept getting in the way. The rain fell hard at times, the doors all seemed to remain locked. Nothing was going particularly right as circumstance was having a play day with everything you do.

It can become very frustrating and you may feel like throwing your hands up and loudly screaming. But when it does, it really is the time to raise the bar.

You need to keep believing in what you are doing.
You need to keep acting upon the belief by moving forward.
You need to keep realizing that it will get better.

But why do that? Why not just give up? Why not lay down and be run over? Because you are greater then the situation at hand. You have a huge ability to get beyond the things that stand in your way. You are going to have a great life.

Raise the B.A.R. when life wants you to lay it down. Push through and do what you can to keep moving forward. Circumstance will eventually become a mere bump on the road.