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Phrases such as "the sun will shine once again" or even the well used "...light at the end of the tunnel" seem old and outdated.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!

Forgive and Move On

"I couldn't find anywhere, in any book I ever read, including the Bible, that said in order to forgive somebody, they had to ask for it or that they had to deserve it." - Andy Andrews

In an article written by Andy Andrews, he writes about having a forgiving spirit. "Forgiveness is the ultimate course in anger resolution. Everything I read said, "Forgive. Let it go." Forgiving someone is the ultimate gift to ourselves because, it effects us much more than it does them. Forgiveness IS anger resolution!"

As a matter of everyday life, as humans we tend to cling to old hurts and transgressions against us. There always seems to be that one nagging mental picture in our mind of someone that did something to or against us. The driver that cut us off in traffic, an old lover or a co-worker.

What happens is that these nagging thoughts prevent us from moving on. It holds us back and makes our load so much heavier. If we are holding onto olds hurts, we can not improve or allow ourselves to gain our life back and make it a better life.

So Andy suggests to sit down with a pen, piece of paper and ask yourself a few questions. Jot down names that come to mind and when done, ask yourself, "Is this a person I need to forgive or someone from whom I should ask forgiveness?"

He then provides some samples of questions (you can come up with your own) and reminds us that the quality of your answers is going to be determined by the quality of your questions.

• "What one decision would I make if I knew it would not fail?"
• "What one thing should I eliminate from my life as it holds me back from reaching my full potential?"
• "Am I on the path of something absolutely fantastic or something absolutely average?"
• "Am I running from something or to someone?"
• "What can I do to make better use of my time?"
• "What impossible thing am I believing right now and planning for?"
• "What is my most prevailing thought?"
• "What good thing have I previously committed myself to do that I've quit doing?"
• "Of the people I respect the most, what is it about them that earns my respect?"
• "What would a truly creative person do in my situation?"
• "What outside influences are causing me to be better or worse?"
• "What gifts, talents, or strengths do I have?"
• "I know I don't know the answer right now, but if I knew the answer, what would I say?"
• "What is one thing I can do for someone else who has no opportunity to repay me?"
• "Who do I need to forgive?"

Enable yourself to move on. Forgive yourself, forgive others and get on living your life. As Andy states, it is difficult to "fight an enemy that has a built a fort in your head."

Start your day with forgiveness, have a forgiving spirit. Stay inspired my friends.

Lead to Change

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
―Pablo Picasso

A person that decides to take a positive attitude towards life, family and work has to be willing to do a bit of leading. Putting yourself out there extending kindness and positive reinforcement to others is a first step in leading. But how can you begin the process of leading with a positive attitude.

I took the following from a bit of training I’ve had, which is to understand yourself in the workplace. And there are places in our own personal life that these suggestions should take place first. Whether it is your personal life or the work place, either can be the starting point. The point is to start somewhere.

I suggest the workplace because we spend so much of our time in it. If work goes well and you can leave with a good feeling, the drive home is easier, family time is much more relaxing and you will most likely sleep better. You will likely feel better in the morning and the day will get off to a much better start. The driver that accidentally cut you off just won’t bother you.

In “First, Break All the Rules”, there are twelve questions to ask yourself regarding your place of work. These questions can be used to measure your work environment.

Evaluate where you are, where your work place is and provide areas of opportunity for you to step in and make change.

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best everyday?
4. In the last 7 days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
5. Does my supervisor or someone at work seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
12. This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

As employers, have you done these things to improve your workplace? The opportunity to make change happens in both directions. Work can be so stressful, you may not realize that simply telling a co-worker or employee or even your boss that they’re doing a great job goes a long way.

So pick a spot, jump into it and move your life forward to a more enjoyable and fruitful experience.

Above all, stay inspired my friends.