Tag: hope

WHAT SPARK ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?

Yesterday we talked about hope and the importance it plays in an amazing life. Today we are going to ask ourselves another question. That question is “what spark are you grateful for?” Sometimes what is needed in life is the catalyst to ignite the fire of passion that is often extinguished by the daily grind.

That spark can be a place that you find peace and tranquility. It can be a fun activity that makes you forget your troubles for a while. We have been discussing the fact that I have been enjoying the Wisconsin State Fair. It is this joyous event in which I was reminded of another spark in life.

The photo you saw at the beginning of this post was Kathy and Tony. Two amazing people. One amazing couple. I was blessed to know them both when Tony was my dentist. An important side note – he is also the most talented dental wizard I have ever come across. If wanting to go to the dentist was possible, he we be the one to make it happen.

More important than his dental magic, is the fact that both Tony and Kathy are two incredible human beings. They are genuine, and have the amazing ability to demonstrate strength through vulnerability. They also seem to age in reverse. That last part has nothing to do with what we are discussing, but is an unusual fact not common in most people.

What may be the most powerful and inspiring aspect of this amazing couple is their ability to see the good in life, but even more, the good in the people they share it with. There are occasions when we need others to believe in us until such time when we can believe in ourselves.

By being able to see, and articulate the good in you, it makes you want to strive to become the best version of yourself. Case in point my interaction with Kathy and Tony the other day. They inquired about my writing, offering me encouragement. Asked about my upcoming wedding. More importantly, listening to my reply with not only attention, but genuine interest.

I walked away inspired to work even harder to be the best version of myself, and bring even more good into the world. In other words, be the kind of person Kathy and Tony think I am. Having friends like that is a spark everyone should have in their life.

A TERRIBLE RECIPE, BUT A NECESSARY INGREDIENT

Have you ever baked a cake? My beautiful lady and her daughter own a bakery. I’ve seen more bakery than you can imagine. Don’t confuse that with me knowing how to bake. What I do know is that many ingredients play a role in creating the perfect recipe.

Some ingredients change the recipe slightly. If you accidentally forgot them, the dish might be different but it would not be ruined. Others are vital. Forget this one ingredient and you might as well throw the whole thing in the trash and start over. Can you imagine making a cake with no sweetener?

I think hope is the sweetener of life. It makes even the worst situation a little sweeter. Life without hope would be a terrible recipe indeed. As important as an ingredient is, it does not make an entire recipe. Pouring a bunch of sugar in a pan does not create a cake!

The same is true with hope. You cannot rely on hope as an entire life strategy. You must take intelligent action and put forth consistent effort. Those are some of the other ingredients in the recipe of a good life! Just do not forget to keep hope in your heart. It will keep the sweetness in your life.

WHAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE

Changing the world is a goal for so many people. “I sure wish the world was more ____.” We hear so many people say. It seems like an out of reach goal, but really it is not. A big change is many little changes put together. If you just kept your yard in order, that really wouldn’t change too much. Let us say all of your neighbors did the same thing. Suddenly, the neighborhood is transformed. All of you did only one little thing, yet put together it transformed an entire neighborhood. This is how it works on a global scale as well. We may think what we do is too small to make a difference. If everyone who thought that acted anyway, it would make a global difference.

How about you? Are there small acts of kindness or action that you could take? This works especially well in interpersonal relations. One smile to a stranger can have a ripple effect with everyone they meet as well. This can continue on and on transforming many lives by sharing just one smile. In addition, a simple act of kindness can save a life. Have you ever thought of that? That stranger you smile at could be hanging on by a thread. They can be feeling that nobody cares. Your simple act of kindness can give them the hope they need to make it through one more day. In this way, you will touch the lives of so many.

Another great thing about small acts of kindness is there is never a wrong time to do them. One thing that can seem dispiriting is when someone is under a great deal of stress and you strive to say or do something kind and it seems to fail to make an impression. At the time, it may seem like it has no effect. Often, it takes a while to sink in. You may not be around to see the effect of your kindness. That does not mean it is still not worth doing. It would be great if we could all see the effect of the good we put into the world, but we do not have that luxury. If you want to see the effect, look inside. What I mean by that is think of how the good people have done has affected your life. You may not have reacted right away, especially if you are stressed at the moment. It may have occurred to you much later. A feeling of gratitude might have overcome you later. It was still a wonderful feeling, wasn’t it?

Always do what good you can, where you can do it. You may think it will not make a difference. It may seem small to you. When all of the small acts of good and kindness are put together, that is what changes the world. The more of them we do, the quicker the world will change.

30 DAYS OF GRATITUDE DAY 15 – SEASON

If you know me personally, or follow this blog for any length of time, you may guess that my answer here would be summer. I do love that season and the warmth and sunshine that comes with it. Certainly no denying that. I would like to offer gratitude for the upcoming season today. That season being spring. Where I live, it seems that winter lasts about 9 months of the year. It is also listed as the 8th gloomiest city in the nation. For someone who loves sunshine as much as I do, that can be hard to take. That is why spring is so inspiring. Even if you are a fan of winter, by this time most of us have had enough. Enough of the shoveling and driving through snow. Enough of the grey sky and dead looking trees.

Spring, often starts with the same sort of weather, but in the back of our minds there is hope. When that snow comes we think to ourselves, “At least it will not last that long.” We look for buds on trees and other signs that old man winter is on his way out. We are looking for the sky of grey to become one of a resplendent blue. We hope the ray of sunshine will not only warm the air, but our hearts as well. So I am grateful for the coming of spring, which will arrive here in less than a week.

The talk of spring brings attention to other seasons that we should be grateful for as well. How about the season of growth in our own life? Just like the season of spring with its up and down weather including rain and sun mixed with clouds, our own growth is the same. A season of growth causes us to learn lessons, not always in a comfortable way. We must often let go of things to make room for something better. We do so because we believe something better will take its place. That is a season of hope. In a world that can often be dark, we must know that a better time is coming. A time when there will be more love for our neighbors and less division. We must hold on to that hope. A season of hope can help us make it through many dark times. That is truly a season to be grateful for.

A GREAT DAY FOR THIS!

There are a lot of crazy and negative things going on in the world today. It can be a lot just to make it through the day. One can begin to wonder what we can do to rally against all of this negativity. The answer is a little counter intuitive. It can be found in the picture above. Have a great day. You may find yourself thinking, “How can I have a great day when the day around me is far from great?” That is exactly when we need to have great days the most. It can be hard to not let outside circumstances dictate our inner condition. Not only is it possible, but it is really how we were meant to live. We cannot let the negativity win. How can we accomplish that? It involves a change of mindset.

A personal example for me is as follows. I am currently dealing with a fractured, and who knows what else, foot. It is preventing me from working out as I would like to do. Not to mention it hurts fairly bad. It is well below freezing where I live and has been for weeks. I am a fan of the sun and beach. The vacation I had planned next Wednesday to get away was recently canceled due to the hotel being hit by a hurricane. As you can see, I have plenty of reasons I could feel down. Do you know what else is equally true? I was able to go to the gym this morning and workout in different ways. I went out to lunch with Margie and my mother. We had one of our favorite servers, Estela. Then I went to write these blogs and look what they wrote on my cup! Both of these lists of items are true and factual. Focusing on one would have me frustrated and depressed. Focusing on the other will have me feeling grateful and happy. That is why it is a great day to have a great day.

The news can have you believe the sky is falling. In many ways there are lots of crazy things happening. This is not about denying any of that. What it is about is reminding ourselves how many good things are still out there. If we choose, we can make a great day out of anything. Why not make today a great day?

YOU MADE IT THROUGH!

This is more for my friends in the Northern hemisphere. For someone who is a fan of warm weather and sunshine, but lives in a state with 9 months of winter, this is a glimmer of hope. Although this graphic is about the weather, in many ways in mimics life in general. We have dark periods in our life. Much like the weather, we have little or no control over outside circumstances. What we can do is find ways to change our mindset and find ways in which to find as much light in the darkness as we can. Sometimes that consists in just knowing that the darkness does not last forever.

Another way in which this is like life is that the seasons are cyclical. Every year there is a dark period followed by a period of rebirth and growth. Life is much the same. We have periods of darkness. There are times when nothing seems to be going right. People pass away, jobs are lost and health is compromised. After which, we find a period of light. We find a job that we enjoy more, or perhaps pays better. We gain our health and maybe make some new friends. Knowing that there are cycles to this crazy adventure we call life can help us better appreciate and make it through some of the darker times.

As of right now, those of us in the north have made it through some of the darkest days. There will be some challenges ahead to be sure. The days will continue to grow longer and eventually the temperatures will rise as well. Knowing this helps us make it through the snow and frigid weather. Just like knowing there will be a brighter time in our life can help us make it through the darker times. We have done it before and we will do it again!

PASS IT ALONG

Here is a simple greeting. Can you imagine how you would feel if someone said this to you? I say we try spreading this, and other positive greetings, as much as we can and in a many places as we can! Feel free to steal this picture and place it on all of your social media accounts! That way everyone will get a little positivity while scrolling.

One of the most impactful things you can do is share positive vibes with everyone you come in contact with. Be that person today! Share a smile and genuine well-wishes! Be the kind of person people look forward to seeing. The more of us that do this, the brighter the world will become!

BUILD THE NEW!

This could not be more true than it is today. The world is a crazy place. That is something we can all agree on. Many people stand on the corner cursing out the way things are. Instead of that, why not try to focus on building things the way you wish them to be? Personally, I would love a world that is more tolerant, accepting and loving. Through these posts, and in my personal life, I do my best to be that.

I am not telling you to stand up against what you feel is wrong. Quite the contrary. What I am suggesting is to approach the situation with understanding, compassion and most importantly, a solution. One that does not marginalize or hurt others. One that is constructive and brings peace and positivity to the world. That is what is most important in these trying times. Build a world we love and celebrate.

HOW TO MAKE LIFE CONSISTENTLY AMAZING

We will get to why this question is indeed one of the most important questions in just a minute. First, I would like to share with you an event that got me thinking about this. A gentleman I see occasionally at my day job paid me one of the most unique, but meaningful compliments. He told me what he most admired about me was my consistency of character. How despite outside circumstances, I remain upbeat and treat everyone I meet with kindness and compassion. I would love to tell you this is true all of the time, but it is not. It is true enough that a gent would notice and compliment me on it. So what is my secret? How do I remain upbeat and always treat others kindly? How can I do this despite what my outside circumstances are? More importantly, how can you manage to do this as well?

The first step is to answer what good old Albert said was the most important question. Is the universe a friendly place? Here is the tricky answer. Whatever we decide the answer is, we can find corresponding evidence for it. If we look for examples that the universe is a terrible place with people only out for themselves, there is no shortage of that. If, however, we are brave enough to believe the universe is a wonderful place with people showing kindness and compassion towards others, we will find that too. We may have to look a little harder as that kind of news does not sell as well. They are both there. I am here to tell you life will be much more rewarding and joyous if you decide the universe is a wonderful place to be.

One good way to do this is to find a guiding quote that speaks to you in that regard. Although not an overly religious person, that quote from the bible is one of my favorites. Whether you are religious, spiritual or not, find one that speaks to you. If you decide that the universe is is a friendly place, than even when things seem to be going sideways, you will understand that it is ultimately for a good purpose. This may sound like a bunch of B.S., and it is. Belief system that is. If your belief system is that the world is generally a good place, you will understand if the dark and the challenges bring their own blessings.

Does that mean your life will suddenly be rainbows and unicorns? Of course not. You will, however, begin to see the gifts that challenges bring. You will find yourself saying things like, “Boy this person is testing my patience. By testing my patience, it will help me strengthen it.” This could be to yourself or out loud. By developing this mindset you will be able to be more consistent in how you are living your life. This not only can apply to the overall purpose of your life, but to specific areas as well.

Recently, a friend mentioned how they struggled to keep a positive attitude about the business they started. When you are excited about your business and nobody seems to come through the door, how do you stay excited? That is a challenge. If you have a firm belief in what you do and why you are doing it, view those ‘down’ times as a test of your dedication to your business and an opportunity to learn different ways to attract customers and improve on that which you are now doing. My third book did not go over nearly as well as I had hoped. Instead of viewing myself as a failed author, I took that opportunity to examine how I bring my message to people, how I promote my books and what I could do better with my upcoming fourth book.

The secret to a consistently amazing life is to decide that your universe is a friendly place, or whatever goal you are pursuing is worthwhile. If that is the case, then how could anything not be working towards your greater good? Put both the victories as well as the challenges to work for you. The more you do this, the more life will be amazing and the easier it will be to be consistent in all you do and who you are.

THE BEST DIET FOR SUCCESS IS EATING ELEPHANT 🐘

Everyone is looking for the next fad diet. Whether that is for more energy, more muscle or less weight. Here is a diet for more success! That’s right. If you want to get ahead at work, in your health or even in your relationships – start eating elephants!

Of course we are not advocating eating actual elephants. I’m rather fond of the big guys. No, it is a reference, as you see in the first picture, to tackling a big problem. Many of us, myself included, will approach a big goal or challenge and become overwhelmed.

This could be getting in shape, getting out of debt, cleaning up your diet, or even cleaning up the house. We see eight million things we have to do and can’t imagine getting them all done. Instead, we should focus on getting one of them done. You couldn’t eat an entire meal at once, nor can you do much of anything all at once.

Our good friends in the wonderful country of Jamaica are struggling to repair the damage brought by hurricane Melissa. The damage can seem overwhelming. I can only imagine what they are facing. The story is the same. The way to build back is clearing one tree at a time. Helping one family at a time and taking one day at a time.

Even if all you are dealing with is a house that looks like it was hit by a hurricane, it is still one step at a time. You got this!