Friday, April 27, 2018

How do you view your successes?

Many people do things to get recognized: movie stars, pop stars, people that want reality TV shows, and people with a YouTube audience. I suppose it goes with the territory if that's the business you're in. If people don't know who you are then they won't follow up on you to see what you're planning next. It's a clear case of supply and demand. Other times people do things for the sole sake of doing something positive for their community (not for the notoriety); they run non-profits, they volunteer in their neighborhoods, they plant beautiful gardens for people to visit, or they help the elderly man who lives next door.

We all have goals and dreams of what we would like to accomplish in our lifetime. Maybe we want to run a marathon (just once), maybe we want to have more people read what we write or listen to our music. I think if we're being honest, when we're passionate about something that we do we want people to notice, we want them to be as excited about our work as we are. It's validating and we want to know that we aren't alone. 

Sure, I can tell you that I write for myself, because it helps me to process my life and all that I see in our world (good or bad) everyday. But I would be kidding myself if I didn't admit that I would also love more exposure with my writing, to be able to reach a larger audience ... not because I have a big ego and think that I'm all that and more, but because I feel so strongly about what I do. When I write it feels like I am allowing myself to be vulnerable and sharing a piece of myself, that alone can be a scary feeling. What if people don't like what I write about? What if no one cares? But we can't dwell on the negative 'what-ifs'. If we did that we would never get anywhere. 

We need to keep our goals personal; do what we do for the right reasons. If we do that, only good things can happen. People will notice; they'll be intrigued and they'll ask questions, they'll talk about it with someone else, they'll SHARE a Facebook post or a website, and people will start to notice the genuineness of your work. It won't happen over night. There are no easy routes or short cuts. Hard work, diligence, honesty, and integrity in your work are what will get it noticed.

As busy as our world gets and as busy as we each get dealing with the responsibilities of our own lives, we need to remember that life is a two-way street. If we want people to support what we pour our hearts into then it's only right to know that we need to return that favor. Start to pay attention more to the young mom who is standing in line with three little kids; open the door for her and tell her she is doing a great job. If you have a good waiter at a restaurant, don't take them for granted. Make conversation with them as 'the person they are' and let them know you appreciated their good service. When you hear someone playing the guitar or singing in church on a Sunday morning, tell them afterward how good their music made you feel. When you read something online (Facebook, Instagram, etc), LIKE someone's post and most importantly SHARE it. That's the only way their work will spread.

What is your passion that you're trying to share with the world?

How can we help get the word out?

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

The Search Continues

Everyone I talk to you lately seems to be on edge about the weather. We feel like spring should be here, along with its sunny skies and warmer temperatures. Instead we've continued to experience rain, snow, icy roads, sleet, cold temperatures, and blowing winds. Do I sound like a broken record? I think so.

A lot of people are complaining, as if that will help or even make the sun come out any sooner including a certain weatherman out of Grand Rapids, MI. You know people are getting tired of the same old forecast when the weatherman goes on an on-air rant about how his co-workers are cranky and starting to blame him, etc. He was feeling a lot of weight on his shoulders and apparently a lot of blame. Negativity can take its toll on anyone.

Personally, I feel like I've been monitoring the Weather Channel app on my phone a lot more lately, as if I can point to the sky and say, 'Stop snowing, my app radar isn't showing any precipitation!' However, watching and waiting for the app forecast to change also gives me hope ... hope that the temperatures will climb up and surpass 50 degrees, hope that the sun will come out and stay, and hope that there will begin to be a pattern of weather niceness. Hope can go a long way in lifting someone's spirits.

I have no doubt that spring will come. It may be short once it arrives and we may breeze right through it and go straight to summer, but it will come. With it will come a sense of excitement, a certain thrill, a certain anticipation of good things; not to mention I will be happy to pack away my wool socks, my boots, my winter coats, and my neck scarves. In their place will be sandals, sneakers with no socks, short sleeves, and baseball caps. Yes, lots of good things will come.

What are you most looking forward to with spring and summer?

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Where is spring?

Lately the consensus seems to be that Mother Nature is playing a cruel joke on us. It's April 10th and we woke up to snow again this morning. Understandably we usually get some sort of snow here in Michigan during the first week of April, but many people seem to feel like Old Man Winter is just hanging on and won't let go. Maybe it's because Easter was on April 1st this year? Maybe it's because, as usual, the department stores have had shorts and bathing suits in the stores for weeks? Our minds are telling us it should be warmer outside. We really shouldn't be surprised to have snow, but enough is enough. I think we are all ready for spring to arrive. Personally I would be happy with wearing a lighter weight jacket and perhaps skipping the boots. I'm ready to show off my painted toenails, lol.

Even the Bible says there is a time and a season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). All seasons have their own unique purpose; each is beneficial, but it's time to move from winter to spring. It's time for our spirits to be uplifted. We are ready for the grass to get green, the buds on the trees to begin to blossom, and the plants to be able to reach their little heads up and out of the soil.

While there is a lot of beauty in the glittering snow; a freshness and sense of calm ... there is also a feeling of newness and life in the colors and warmth of spring. Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate and kick the spring season into gear. I know I'm ready. Are you?

What are you most looking forward to about spring?

Monday, April 2, 2018

Clear To Move Ahead

Every where you look on the roads there are orange construction barrels; obstacles at almost every turn. You try to get from point A to point B, but have to be creative with your routes, as well as your time. Obstacles, though, aren't just on the roads. They seem to present themselves in our daily lives too.

If you're like me, you have goals and well thought out plans of how to get there ... or so we think. It's become almost expected that a plan B should be in your back pocket (just in case). A portion of nearly every Saturday for my past few months has been spent working on a specific project; not a project I choose or enjoy, but one that needs to be done every year regardless. Everything else gets put on hold until 'the project' has been completed. Today is that day; the day I get the 'all clear' to move ahead. The moment I get to see the light at the end of my proverbial tunnel.

This week, for me, is all about feeling like I am finally moving forward. Four weeks ago today I had surgery. Life has returned back to normal, but in some ways my plans were put on hold. Having the energy I needed to get through my days ... on hold. Wanting to exercise and take walks because the spring weather has been starting to show its face ... on hold. Feeling motivated ... definitely on hold. Today has been a good day; the day I feel like the flight attendant has just announced 'you are now free to remove your seat belt and move around the cabin'. I must admit that it's a good feeling; a feeling that is overdue.

What projects have had you feeling weighed down?

Have you been able to conquer them?

What would you like to do now with a your spare time?