Boldly Overcome

Bee Bold

"Begin, be bold and venture to be wise." - Horace

Change has to start some "where" and at some "time" if you truly want to get to a place in life that you would rather be. We can dream every day and even wish for it to magically appear. But even dreams have to encounter opportunity in order for them to ever become a reality.

And one might wonder where to start. 

One first step is to 'write down on a piece of paper the dream or goal'. This step is crucial and is your first accomplishment in reaching your goal. It is a physical and real thing once the goal is on that piece of paper taped to your bedroom mirror.

Chris Pringle refers to this empty piece of paper as your dream being empty.

Not until you write it down does it begin the journey. It creates movement that will have you boldly go forward to make a change in your life. Of course, none of this happens with out some level of fear. Each of us have examples of change inspite of our fears.

Some of the fears I've encountered are;

- When I was 19, my girlfriend became pregnant and we married. The fear of this change gripped me, but I took it on and today (although divorced from her) we have four wonderful boys.

- When I dreamed of a better job after six years in a 'go no where' job, could I truly perform? I buckled down and learned everything I could, then found the company I still work for after nearly 30 years of employment.

- When my marriage fell apart after twenty-one years, my normal and comfortable life evaporated. Boldly I found the means to move forward, develop new relationships and marry once again. Today, still the four wonderful boys, but also an amazing wife and four amazing step-daughters and grandkids.

- When my position in the company seemed to languish, I dreamed of performing more consulting type work. I took the steps to move out of my comfort zone and take on a new role within the same company.

- When my mother developed Pancreatic Cancer, the fear of losing her took hold of me. When I moved past the fear, I was given a gift along with my father and siblings of spending countless hours with her in the final days. I overcame the fear of her dying and was presented with the opportunity to learn and experience her life story.

When we boldly overcome our fears, the dreams we dream big take shape. 

Find a way to get past those fears and begin the wonderful journey. For it is with movement that we will come upon opportunity that otherwise would have evaded us. Life will throw many things at you whether you remain stationary or not.

Helen Keller once said, "Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold."

Overcoming fear and moving boldly towards a dream will have its danger, but it will also have its opportunities. Take hold of those opportunities by being bold in life, by being unafraid to meet up with your dreams.

Stay inspired my friends.

Life Equals Risk

Reuters

"Only those who will risk going too far 

can possibly find out how far one can go." - T. S. Eliot

Life is full of risk.

We can sit idle in our chair, watching all of it pass by us.

Or we can stand up and start stepping towards something greater.

It is your choice.

Do not be defined by others.

Stay inspired my friends.

My Attitude

Choosing A Path

"We awaken in others the same attitude of mind we hold toward them." ~ Elbert Hubbard

What is attitude and how does it relate to you and others?

To me it is a core component of not only one's work but is an essential part of one's life. There are people that go through life constantly battling the belief that, "..if only others would treat me more nicely, then I could have a more positive attitude." These people always believe that others are the reason for their misery. And since others are to blame for their feeling this way, then they justify treating others just as poorly. It is an easy way not to take responsibility for your own actions.

I myself would never say it is easy to maintain a great attitude. My drive into work each day leads me to a freeway and lots of merging cars and people including myself that should have left 5 minutes earlier. Road tension can be high especially when you couple that with a general belief that your own driving skill is better then that of anyone else. There is plenty of opportunity for someone to purposely or inadvertently cut you off or send you a signal.

But how do you let it effect you?

Early in the morning, on the way to work, are you willing to let that other person set the tone of the day for you? Many people do and it isn't just the checkout person in the big discount store that allows it to effect themselves. It is also the person taking service calls over the phone, the bank teller handling your money and yes, the CEO on his or her way to an important meeting.

Attitude is a choice and your life can be changed by changing your attitude. Norman Vincent Peale said, "human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes." It can and does change lives. It can start on that morning drive to work. Try it some time when somebody 'wrongs' you on the road. Just smile and keep your hands firmly on the steering wheel. You may be surprised how it changes your day.

Stay inspired my friends!

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Friends Around Your Table

The friends around the table, St. Jacut

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." - C. S. Lewis

As I sit writing this morning, there is a cool breeze through the open window. The sounds of the gathering day echo from the street below. It is my last morning in Curitiba, Brazil and those sounds are different but also quite familiar to the ear. While the language is Portuguese, the ebb and flow is very comforting.

A laborer power washing a building wall.

A woman shuffling her children into the car.

A plane in the distance approaching to land at the local airport.

The other is the sound of our families former neighbors and good friends Annie and Dave Spell. It is here to Brazil that they moved over a year ago. It is here that they now call home in Curitiba. It is amusing to me that I have flown 4691 miles in order to see my neighbors.

Yet friendship has that ability, to cross thousands of miles in separation or to simply cross the street. Friendship is a powerful part of our lives as humans.

In an article by Tarra Conte, she outlines five important values of having friendship with others.

Concern: a matter that engages a person's attention, interest, or care, or that affects a person's welfare or happiness.

Compassion: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

Honesty: truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness. You may have heard that this is the best policy, even if the truth hurts.

Understanding: a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations between people. The word "tolerant" in this definition made me laugh.

Support: to sustain (a person, the mind, spirits, courage, etc.) under trial or affliction.

For my wife and I, friends matter. And whether they be friends found around the kitchen table, neighbors living around the corner from you or living thousands of miles away in Brazil; our connection to others is what makes living life great.

I hope the same for each of you. That life presents you with a large basket full of friends, near and far. For you not only have friends, but you are also a friend to them.

Stay friendly my friends!

SIDE NOTE: Our friends Dave and Annie Spell are doing great missions work in Brazil, working with Ps Ronald Berg and the C3 Church Curitiba. If you wish to support their efforts, a small (or large) donation is greatly appreciated. For those in the United States, your gift is tax deductible.