New Game Or Continue

“When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb.” ~Denis Waitley

The game is played and you reach a point in which failure occurs. Mario couldn't jump the deep gorge; the race car veered off course; maybe the wall of Tetris bricks fell down around you. When this happens, you get two choices presented. One selection is to start a "NEW GAME", while the other option is to "CONTINUE".

Similarly in the game of golf, if you flub a swing, you have the opportunity for what is called a mulligan. Some call it a do-over or something that allows you to take another swing at the ball.

Yet when it comes to life, we only get this one to live. We can't start over our lives in order to avoid mistakes made. What we have is the ability to continue on with our life. All we have to do is make changes in how or what we are doing and then press the "CONTINUE" button.

Keep your eye ahead of you, towards the road further on. Find a different path, find a different way and continue on with your life. A NEW GAME may not be possible, but a NEW WAY is.

Build A Life

"Life is a process. We are a process. The universe is a process." ~Anne Wilson Schaef

You have heard it before. It was either directed at you or someone else. The phrase "get a life" is tossed around by many folks. It is usually directed at those that are lazy or wasting their days. It is also meant to describe a process of achieving more.

But I contend that the phrase "get a life" is a misstatement. My belief is that you "build a life". There is no reaching up on a shelf to choose or find the life you want. I can not look up the keyword "life" on the Amazon website and all is well. It takes change on my part to help "build" the life you want.

Whether we are building a life from the ruins of a death, divorce or disaster, we do the work necessary to create something new for ourselves. We read stories of how others built a new life. We search for inspiration to keep us moving in the direction of a new life. We construct a life that will be great.

And when this life you are building begins to take shape, others will take notice. Your life will be that much greater when you "build a life".

Looking Beyond

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." ~Matthew 3:24

Its amazing what can happen when our path becomes blocked by trouble or pain. Some will look and simply sit down on the side of the road. So many of these roads are littered with the shanty buildings of those that have given up.

Others though will see the mountain and have the ability to believe in something beyond it. They can see what lay beyond the obstacle and use faith to guide them past it.

With the recent earthquake in Haiti, as with any major disaster; people will see the devastation around them and simply give up. But there will be many that can see the vision of a new country. Of rebuilding a hospital or a grocery store. They see their new home where now only a pile of rubble exists.

Your problems could be simply finding that job, someone to love or getting beyond whatever troubles you. It is your own personal mountain; your own personal boulder on the road to where you want to be. See beyond the obstacle and believe in it.

Then begin your trek across, around, over or through it. There are many different ways to achieve success. All you have to do is keep trying. Pretty soon you'll leave those shacks built by others along the road. A clear and wonderful path will lay before you.

Take today and work through what you have. Tomorrow will present greater opportunity for you and yesterday is gone...so let it go. Overcome your obstacles and achieve.

When Disaster Strikes

From Getty Images on Financial Times

"Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster." ~Jim Wallis

Disaster can strike anywhere at anytime in this world. The devastation in Haiti caused by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake is astounding to see. This occurred about 10 miles from the center of Port au Prince which has a population of nearly one million people. Think of similar sized cities any where around the world;

1,200,000 - Glasgow UK
1,200,000 - Lumumbashi Congo
1,177,000 - Perth Australia
1,157,000 - Orlando USA
1,075,000 - Dublin Ireland
1,050,000 - Auckland New Zealand
1,050,000 - Lille France
1,035,000 - Porto Portugal
1,002,000 - Adelaide Australia
1,000,000 - Helsinki Finland
972,000 --- Memphis USA
915,000 --- Antwerp Belgium
900,000 --- Port Elizabeth South Africa

Think of your own community. A town of 615 people like Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska can suffer as much as a city of nearly 34 million people like Tokyo, Japan. Disaster effects people on an individual basis. It could happen to any of us and when it does, others will come to your aide similar to what is happening in Haiti.

Yet we can not live in fear of the next disaster. We simply need to be prepared in ways that make sense. And when a disaster occurs, 'just breathe'. We will work through the pain and sorrow that a disaster brings. Greatness and better times exist on the other side of it. Just maintain faith in yourself and those around you. The people of Haiti will pull through with the help of themselves and those around the world.

Help in what ways you can today; not only in Haiti but in support of those that assist people in need around the world and within your own community.