Category: Uncategorized (Page 114 of 158)

Night time falls over the land every 12 hours or so and we typically know what to expect. I have found some of my darkest hours – mentally – in the middle of the night. Either because of food poisoning, the flu and having strange dreams due to a high fever or waking up in a panic thinking about a project that has consumed my last several weeks.

However, the problems never seem to be quite as daunting after the sun rises the next morning. They haven’t left, but it feels like at least there’s hope. What has changed? Is it only because the earth is bathed in sunshine? Maybe.

Whatever causes me to be encouraged to move forward and face my fears, I’m grateful for.

It just goes to show that even in our darkest hours, that time too shall pass. But we must be in the game in order to watch the sun rise and transcend the darkness into light.

We can do our best to plan out exactly how we want our day, week, month or year to go. The chances of it happening just as you planned it are slim to none.

Did you put that in your plan?

Now what?

Re-think, revise and move forward. Adversity is a key element to our attraction of goals, deadlines and targets. Don’t get thrown into a tailspin because your plan is out the window.

Stay nimble, keep your head and make the strongest choice possible for the moment. It’s about staying engaged and pushing through more than anything else.

The rain will eventually stop and the sun will come out again.

If you have ever watched the show “Naked and Afraid” you will learn pretty quickly that it isn’t how physically prepared you are, but your mental toughness that gets you farther than the other contestants. 9 our of 10 times the person who is able to remain steadfast with their mental focus is the one who comes out a winner in the end.

So often, we self-sabotage ourselves by giving up mentally. We write off the entire endeavor because we aren’t getting the results we want the first, second or even the third time through.

I believe this has to do with where your focus is located. Sometimes to place your attention on the end result is not the best place to spend your time. Sometimes it is. When working towards a goal, it might be in your best interest to focus on the day to day habits you are creating by putting in the work. Laying one brick the best you can is your job today. The big picture will take care of itself in due time.

Before you know it, you will arrive at your destination, but to embrace and learn to find satisfaction in the process might be better for us in the long-haul.

After all of these years, I think the marketers have gotten to me. Congratulations to them!

During the holiday season I have to make a concerted effort to stay grounded, humble and grateful. It seems that if I don’t watch myself, I can get caught up in the pressures and expectations of the Christmas must-have’s. I think that’s why when I was younger and even now at times, there can be a real let-down after New Year’s. This – on top of the constant barrage of marketing on social media, etc. we are exposed to – can make me a bit anxious.

This is when I know I need to get away from the screen time and re-connect with the things in my life that are important to me. My own well-being, my legacy and connecting with my family and friends.

After all, how much do we need?

The Bare Necessities

Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature’s recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life

How we prepare for the weather can directly impact our overall well-being. If you show up to the beach on a warm sunny day planning on spending much of your time reading in your beach chair, you might find yourself burned at the end of the day only to have a restless sleep.

Standing in the rain on a chilly afternoon watching a game in the stands or even gong for a walk without the proper rain gear can change your mood dramatically as well. Now wet and cold, we have a hard time enjoying our company, the competition of the game or the beautiful scenery on your long walk.

Taking a bit of time by looking at the weather forecast in order to prepare yourself for what you’re about to engage in can make a big difference.

This can be applied to most things in life. Rather than just showing up, we can be thoughtful about what we do in order to be best prepared for the next big thing. . . or small one.

You might just find that with a little preparation, there’s a whole lot of fun.