Impressions That Last

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

When you pass each day through the lives of other people, it is the impression you leave with them which will be most remembered.

A smile of kindness or a pleasant word can change the whole course of that person's day. The same can be said of a rude gesture, impatience or simple unkindness that tears a person down.

Your actions can and will impact the lives of others. Many times you will never realize what the impact was.

Even those close to you, a spouse, children, relatives or coworkers; you will be remembered by how you made them feel. Think of others you have encountered, the ones who were nice, the ones who were mean.

They each leave a mark within your memory.

Leave a great memory with those you encounter. One they will never forget.

Stay inspired my friends!

Reaching For Success

"Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.” - Benjamin Franklin

When I travel to various places around the world there is always an opportunity to speak with people who want to stretch their limits. They are working in a particular position or industry but they want something more. They will tell me of their desire to move up, move out or move on from what currently consumes their life.

They tell me of their problems in pursuing their dreams and goals.

I always ask them not what the problem is but what are they doing about the problem. I ask my question because I am sure they have a well defined idea of what the problem is. They have spent countless hours thinking about the problem in most cases. What they do not have is a well defined idea of how to solve the problem.

The reality is we spend a huge amount of energy concentrating on the problem.

And the problem still exists because we have not devoted our energy to solving the problem. The answer many give is that they are afraid to do anything because of past failures. It is true that the act of movement might result in many failure. Those failures can be hurtful; so much you give up on even trying.

What we never seem to give up on is complaint.

We devote time and energy to complaint while if we devoted as much time on solving the problem, we might just push through the failures and complaints. With each successive step we take, we walk further away from the complaint. We keep moving forward. We keep reaching out to solve the problem.

Reach out towards a time when you will be far removed from the problem.

Problems may appear to be a mountain that is insurmountable, but with movement you reach out and get to the top. The failures may seem to pile up making the top seem even further away, but they will seem insignificant once you are past them.

Keep reaching and success will be yours.

Stay inspired my friends.

Desire For a Greater Life

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus (Greek philosopher, BC 341-270)

Is life meant for us to only be happy with what we have? I believe that is a much too simplistic interpretation of what Epicurus wrote. There is always the danger of thinking life should be lived only for oneself. But life should be lived happy in the pursuit of there being more than what we currently have. To gain a happy and tranquil life means to be happy with what we have and to pursue even greater happiness.

This pursuit of pleasure or happiness in life requires balance in that pursuit. To grab self-indulgent pleasure at the cost of others is not what was meant. To wallow in acceptance of despair is not the other end of what we should accept for our lives either. It is acceptance of what we have and also movement towards more for our lives.

You can make your life here and now better.

Your dreams and desires matter to you.

They should be a daily part of thought and consideration.

What you have today was once a dream or desire. Do not look down upon what you already have when dreaming of greater things. Those new dreams will one day become a reality, just like your old dreams had become.

Dream of greater things in the knowledge that all you have now is but a reminder that dreams are achievable.

Stay inspired my friends!

Giving to Make a Difference

Gifts of one who loved me, 'Twas high time they came; When he ceased to love me, Time they stopped for shame.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that back in 1844 and also wrote, "It is said that the world is in a state of bankruptcy, that the world owes the world more than the world can pay, and ought to go into chancery, and be sold. I do not think this general insolvency, which involves in some sort all the population, to be the reason of the difficulty experienced at Christmas and New Year, and other times, in bestowing gifts; since it is always so pleasant to be generous, though very vexatious to pay debts."

Mr. Emerson is writing about being generous in your giving to others.

He also laments in his writings just how difficult it is to choose the right ones to give to. I like to think that the act of being generous to another person is more important then the gift itself. Just don't think that it means you are to be cheap and meaningless in the gift.

The act of trying to find the right gift means that you do care.

The same can be said of your dealing with people you do not know. The grocery clerk, the waitress or one of the many people you come in contact with on a daily basis becomes a chance to bestow a gift of something. It could be a kind word or a smile, saying thank you and simply being pleasant to them.

In hard economic times, people are struggling to make ends meet. Those on the lower end of the pay scales are finding it even more difficult. In example the waitress or waiter scrambling to get your meal to you and trying to keep your drink cup filled, has bills, concerns and dreams of making a life for themselves.

A decent monetary tip is good to give, especially if you have the means to do so.

An extra dollar or two may not seem like a lot, but it can brighten the day of someone.

Having a generous heart is not all that difficult. Helping others through kindness and generosity is an expression of your heart for others.

Allow it to shine upon others. Stay inspired my friends.