Watch the Snow

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

Sometimes it is better to turn off the television and go to sleep.

And sometimes it is best to stop talking and listen.

Our lives are full of so much noise, most of which we generate ourselves.

Our actions get out ahead of our thinking.

Slow down once in a while and stay inspired my friends!

Cabin Fever

"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other." ~Walter Elliot

To carry on my conversation slightly from a previous day, snow here in the Atlanta area crippled much of the area. For three days schools have been closed and many government and private businesses as well. The roads have remained pretty slick and dangerous to travel upon.

There is relief in sight as the sun makes an appearance today and warmer temperatures are expected the following day. But everyone keeps talking about cabin fever. When will this ever end, will we ever be able to get out and get moving again.

One could say that working towards a goal for your life can have periods of 'cabin fever' also. It is that point in your journey when nothing seems to be working quite right. You hold off on trying anything because you have become discouraged. You huddle and hide behind closed doors in dimly lit rooms wondering what next.

That discouragement is like an ice storm outside, keeping you from moving forward. It keeps you locked up inside while you question yourself and your goals. And the longer it goes on, the more it tightens its grip on you.

The trick is to fight the discouragement and persevere. Instead of allowing yourself to think of what is going wrong, concentrate on what did go right. And if you can't find anything positive up to this point, then focus your energy on new ways, new things, new paths to try.

It takes just as much energy to concentrate on positive steps as it does the negative steps taken. So if you want to "get out of the cabin", then use your energy to find new positive things for your life. You can't change what has already happened.

The past is just that, the past. What you can affect is your future; that is for certain. So put on some snowshoes or maybe some cleated shoes, but either way keep trying. Keep moving forward, keep trying new things, keep advancing towards your best life.

Preparing For Snow In Your Life

"Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me." ~Carl Sandburg

Everyone knew it was coming. Everyone planned by buying up groceries for the kitchen and gas for the car. The various road departments had the sanding trucks on standby. The airlines started cancelling nearly 2000 flights. Schools were closing, businesses were closing; the whole city was shutting down in preparation for the snow.

And then it happened. There it was, six inches of snow across the Atlanta area. The large amount of snow came as predicted and many still felt unprepared for it. Snow and then sleet on top of it with the rest of the country looking on.

Those further north are much more prepared for this sort of thing and snicker at our efforts. But yes, this much snow can pretty much paralyze the south. The good thing is that we can usually count on the temperatures moderating fairly quickly. This does mean our winter wonderland will be somewhat short lived.

Seems very much like life itself. Sometimes we can see it coming far off down the path we are walking. We prepare ourselves for it, we know its going to happen, but when it does finally happen we still feel unprepared. And I would venture to say that you are better off for having prepared.

Yet it is those times when the 'unexpected' happens that we feel even more frustrated. You see when circumstance happens or even being prepared for a snow storm in your life, you still have to work through it.

We can sit back and watch the snow and ice fall. Watch as it covers everything with a hard thick covering. Watch as it smothers our life until we find it even harder to move.

Or we can enjoy the snow, get out and clear the driveway or path of our journey in order to proceed. When the unexpected happens or even when we prepare and become overwhelmed, the true path is forward. Keep pushing through the snow and ice. Carefully of course, but with the intent that this too shall pass, this too we shall overcome.