Enduring Life's Problems

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” -Marie Curie

There are stories that abound of facing all odds and persevering through even the worst of times. There is a story I've heard many times and came upon once again on Glenn Gleason's website. It is the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and how he vowed and succeeded in saving all of his men when they became trapped in the Antarctic waters in 1914.

In repeating Glenn's words, "Shackleton and his crew formulated common goals, and made sure that every choice they made and every action they undertook specifically moved them closer to those goals. They drew upon their strengths to survive throughout enormous hardship. Shackleton’s core belief in a single, powerful dream guided them."

"This story of courage and survival teaches so many lessons. What circumstances are crushing you? Are you making concrete plans to overcome them? Are you reaching out to your “crew” for encouragement? Are you wiling to do whatever it takes to make it back alive?"

"One of the most telling parts of Shackleton’s story is his family motto, “By Endurance We Conquer.” Too many people simply give up. Take courage, persevere, and never be afraid to follow your dream."

What story do you have to tell? It may not be the dramatic story of being trapped at sea, but to you the story is real. Will you give up or will you push forward and realize your dream?

A way to hope and healing

Here are a couple of updates from my good friend Paul O'Connell and his Open Road Missions effort in Peru.



The mission of Open Road Missions is to:

- partner with local organizations to identify areas of need
- assess the best possible methods of providing help
- utilize resources through network connections, strategic partnerships, corporate, government and private support
- foster a strong sense of social, ethical and moral responsibility amongst donors and recipients alike

The laptop for the student mentioned in the video came from a donation, much like those you make each day. Please help support his efforts by making a donation today.

Make a difference in the lives of people around you, reach out across the globe and make a difference in the lives of people far from you.

Buck Stops Here

"When you blame others, you give up your power to change." -Robert Anthony

When things go wrong, some people will refuse to accept the blame or to consider themselves to be at fault. They prefer to blame external factors, forces, people, situations, or circumstances.

In extreme cases we may deny that there is a problem. In other cases, we may try to reduce the reasons for its severity or as for our involvement by assigning the blame elsewhere so that fingers are not pointed at us.

There is an old saying, "when you point a finger at somebody you point three fingers at yourself." More times then not, the idea that three fingers are pointed back at you is a subtle reminder that you may need to accept responsibility.

Someone that carried responsibility was United States President Harry S Truman. He had a sign on his desk to remind him of his position in society. It simply said, "The buck stops here." There was no one else to blame. As president, he could not kick the blame higher.

This is not the case with the rest of us. We may assign blame to others. Yet why do we do it? Are we taught to do so? How does it affect us? How does is keep us from becoming better individuals?

So three things that you can think about when it comes to stopping the blaming and accepting responsibility for your life;

First, learn to accept and value yourself just the way you are now. Even though it continues to be important to maintain goals for your future, self-esteem is how you can evaluate yourself here in the present.

Second, learn that people should not be blamed for their human frailties. Meaning people will have faults, no one is perfect. So don't blame people simply for not being perfect.

Third, learn how to acquire and appreciate positive reinforcement. When you treat others with dignity and respect, it is very likely you will receive positive treatment in return.

There are many other reasons and ideas on accepting responsibility in your life. There may be others at fault at various times, but be quick to understand your part in all that happens. You will find that you will learn more and take away more from the situation then would have occurred by blaming others.

Follow Dreams

“Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” -Unknown

Allow yourself to examine and follow your dreams. There will be days of discouragement but always look to your dreams which will guide you further.