Archive for the ‘Relationships’ Category

Fear, Courage and Change

People fear transition, yet it’s part of every big change. We avoid the feelings that accompany it, yet part of us genuinely wants that transformation. How do you handle this dichotomy of the desire to change and the fear of it?

We live in a society that expresses itself often in terms of “either-or.” What if your life could be “either-and?”

What if you could accept that there are no easy answers to what big things are possible? What if you could simply embrace All the possibilities that lie in wait for you, rather than fight the temptations? Perhaps there are possibilities that you cannot even fathom at the moment.

“Accept” sounds easy, and yet it requires a strong commitment to being awake to What Is. That is easier said than done for a lot of people.

If you really want that change in your heart of hearts, are you willing to sit with your desire to change and your fear of it at the same time? Are you willing to be uncomfortable with your fear, look it straight in the eye, and then embrace it? Are you willing to be with the feelings and emotions that arise, along with the habitual thinking that created your fear in the first place? Are you willing to tell the truth about it?

When you embrace the fright – whether it’s the fear of change, snakes, public speaking, heights, or any other fear – when you become one with it, it loses its power. You come to know the fear as a great teacher and your courage begins to replace it.

The Cowardly Lion in the “Wizard of Oz” is a great teacher. He didn’t realize he had both fear and courage at the same time. Perhaps that “either-and” concept may have helped him on his path down the yellow brick road.

Want a tip? Try carrying both dichotomous emotions along with you as friends and teachers today. See what you notice. You may end up being even closer to the change you desired in the first place.

Are You Worth It?

I’m one of those people who has been uniquely blessed to know my purpose on the planet. Some people struggle with that concept and spend decades changing jobs, changing careers, relocating time and time again in search of their “right work.”

bored babyOther people may struggle with weight, relationships, health, money, time, or a host of other issues.  These perceived struggles impact our self esteem.  Some people like to work on these with a therapist, a life coach, or in a group.

You have probably noticed that while we all have self esteem, it seems to rise and fall as often as the winds change. Can you imagine learning a set of techniques that you can employ to raise your own esteem, at will, any time of the day or night?

Please join me for a FREE preview session on Tuesday, October 25, 6:00 p.m. in Galveston to learn more about the Power of Self Esteem and learn a technique that will help you raise your self esteem.   The evening session requires no payment and has no obligation.

And if you’re interested in more, you will learn about the upcoming Power of Self Esteem course.  If you are not available to attend the preview session and know you’d like to register for the course, please do so now. 

Are you worth one weekend, dedicated solely to you?  I hope so.

A Moment of Pride

I’ve been wondering…

How often do you feel a moment of pride and forget to mention it to anyone, especially the person you are feeling it about?

With Memorial Day just yesterday, I’ve been pausing to remember. Not only those who have gone before us to fight for our freedom, but those who live with us every day, inspiring us to be all we can.

Today I am proud of Georgia Sherrod, my daughter’s fifth grade Language Arts teacher. She inspired the children to write a fairy tale for four yeJoy's book is in front of the winning pile.ar olds. Her students became authors and illustrators on this project, both in and out of class. A large part of their grades this quarter depends on their work.

In the spring, when so many teachers are winding down after “the test,” Mrs. Sherrod fired up her students to try something creative. She did it at a time when the weather warms up, when the days are sunny, and when the kids would rather be outside than doing homework. She pushed the envelope and got great results. In my book, she gets the award for Best Teacher as well as the award for Best Role Model for Other Teachers.

And yes, I am proud that my daughter, Joy, wrote one of the seven winning books that will be given to the four year old class library. (Believe me, it was hard to stay out of her project. At most, I asked her to check the spelling on a couple of words, hung out with her while she glued her pages down, and formatted the page so it would print correctly for the size of the book.)

Joy did a terrific job. At age 11, she formulated the story line, the conflict, the resolution, the color. She “owned” the project as hers, and it shows in the results of her work. Look for copies of The Quest of the Missing Gem sometime in the future.  She’s got some talent!  And yes, I’ve told her how proud I am of her. 

So, I wonder… who have you forgotten to tell that you’re proud, or that you remember something that mattered to you? 

I’d like to hear your stories, too.

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