Tag Archives: motivation

Life, Motivational Minute, Parenting, Uncategorized

Do it Now! Do it Afraid!

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Last year my mother went on an amusement park ride with me for the first time in my life. And I’m a grown woman with children of my own. Growing up mom didn’t do any rides – no spinning saucers, no bumper cars, not even the slow moving merry-go-rounds. She would stand at the side of the rides smiling at me, encouraging me and waiting for me to get off – but she herself never got on any. Plus she’s afraid of heights.

It didn’t come easy for her to get on that Ferris wheel at the North Carolina State Fair. She reluctantly agreed after countless pleas from my daughters. She was all smiles when we got into the long line. But as the line shortened and we got into the final que for the Ferris wheel, I noticed that mom kept glancing behind us nervously. It became obvious that she was having second thoughts so I asked, and she confirmed that she didn’t want to go on the ride again. “How can I get out of this line now,” she asked, looking at the dozens of people behind of us that she would have to squeeze by to get out of the metal barriers. In my mind I was like “really mom.” We had waited so long, gotten so far and throughout the wait I kept showing her how very slowly the Ferris wheel spun. So I was disappointed that she had given up.

I gave her options for getting out of the line, but reluctantly she chose to stay and got on the ride. She was nervous at first, stepping carefully into the bucket, holding on tightly to the sides, finally sitting cautiously. Then the Ferris wheel began to move. She was scared. Then she started to smile…then giggle. Then my mom literally started laughing out loud! It was contagious. We all started to laugh out loud! There we were – three generations of womenfolk – laughing and giggling and being silly on a Ferris wheel. My face hurt from smiling so much. As a rotation brought our bucket to the top, giving us a night view of entire fairgrounds, mom confessed that it was not as bad as she thought and she actually liked it!

I was so happy we were getting to experience this with my mom. A selfish part of me wished she had conquered this fear earlier. When I was able to think beyond myself, I realized that it was probably harder for mom at this stage of her life to overcome a fear she carried for so long. I realized that you’re never too old to do something you’ve always been afraid of doing. I realized that it’s never too late for anything!

It’s June. 2016 is halfway gone. The world has lost so many icons. I myself have lost four family members in as much months.  Some of you are waiting for the right time to get on your Ferris wheel. You are waiting for the fear to subside, for your money to be right, for someone to admit that they were wrong. Some of us are waiting to do that thing that we’ve always wanted to do but have been too afraid. Why are you waiting? Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Courage is the ability to move forward in the midst of fear. What is it that you’ve always wanted to do? It’s never too late. I encourage you to do it now! Do it afraid!

Motivational Minute

Don’t Give Haters Your Power

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There has been a lot of talk about “haters” recently. “Haters” are people who always have something bad to say no matter the circumstance. Haters are overrated. We give them way too much power. Let’s see “hating” for what it is – a huge distraction that keeps us from achieving our purposes. If we can’t use our haters to motivate us, at the least we should ignore them. Think about it, when we allow anyone to distract us from our goals we become our own haters.

Today let’s be motivated to ignoring the distractions that may keep us from reaching our potential. A little motivation is all we need.

Motivational Minute

Forget Regret

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Should of, could of, would of, but didn’t. At times we get stuck in the past, thinking of all our mistakes and missed opportunities. But the past is just that — past. There is nothing that we can do to go back in time and remedy what has already happened. What we must do is move forward from the past, taking the lessons learned ahead with us and leaving everything else behind. Someone once said regret is the cancer of life. It eats away at us.

Today let’s be motivated to forgetting our regrets as we work toward a glorious future. A little motivation is all we need!

Motivational Minute

Envy Not

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It’s easy to look around and notice all the things that someone else may have, that we ourselves don’t have – things that we want or believe that we deserve.  To be jealous or envious of other people’s accomplishments or possessions is a direct insult to ourselves and our higher power.
Envy implies that we haven’t been blessed enough. Remember, the grass is not always greener on the other side, and even if it is you never know what someone has done to keep their grass green.

Today let’s be motivated to being grateful for the things that we do have. A little motivation is all we need.

Motivational Minute

We Deserve to be Happy

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If we’re not happy where we are, we have the power to fix it. Sometimes we stay in a place or situation where we are utterly miserable simply because we are afraid of change. The fear, doubt and what-ifs creep into our heads and paralyze us. But only we have the power to change our situations. Life is meant to be enjoyed and we all deserve to be happy. If we are not at that place, it’s not too late.

Today let’s be motivated to making a conscious choice to reclaim our happiness. A little motivation is all we need.

Motivational Minute

You’re a Victor!

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No matter the circumstances that we have been through we chose to open our eyes today. We chose to take another breath. We chose to get out of bed. For those reasons alone, we are victors. We did not let the pain or hurt of yesterday keep us for from trying again today. Each of us has been through things in life that would render us victims. But we have overcome so much more… And that makes us victors! It is important that we acknowledge all that we’ve overcome. Today let’s be motivated to seeing ourselves as victors and not victims. A little motivation is all we need!

Island Life, Life, Motivational Minute

Aren’t You Happy that Life Goes On

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 A Saturday morning not too long ago I opened my porch door to find a bird’s nest built between my window sill and hurricane shutters. I was excited! That was the first time in a long time that I was experiencing a bird’s nest up close. The mother bird had flown away when I opened the door. And there, left behind in a small pile of brown twigs, were two small bird eggs. Not able to contain my excitement I called my daughters to witness this miracle. What miracle you may ask? The miracle of life! I was excited about the possibility of two new baby birds entering the world. Now I don’t know anything about the life cycle of birds. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t even tell you what type of bird it was. I wasn’t sure if the eggs would even hatch – and if they did, if those little birds would have any chance of survival. What I was reminded of is that life goes on… no matter what.

Although we may be going through a tough time, life goes on.

Although we may be unable to pay our bills, life goes on.

Although we may have just ended a relationship and it seems like the end of the world, life goes on. Although we may have lost our jobs, life goes on.

Although we may have been wronged by the very people who were supposed to make things right, life goes on.

Although we may be holding on to anger and waiting for someone else to apologize, life goes on.

Although we may have just lost a loved one, once we are in the land of the living, life goes on.

 No matter what we may have said, done or experienced, this world is not going to come to a screeching halt for us. And that should serve as a comfort to us all. Because no matter how good or bad we’ve been we have an opportunity to try again…when life goes on.

Motivational Minute

Pain is Information, Suffering is a Choice

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Susan L. Taylor, the long-time editor of Essence magazine said “pain is information, suffering is a choice.” We all experience pain, physical and emotional – which is a natural part of life. Pain is life’s way of showing us when something isn’t right. Ask yourself “where am I hurting” and “why am I hurting.” Use the answers to heal yourself. When you don’t heal, that pain becomes suffering. By ignoring your pain, you choose to suffer.

Today, let’s be motivated to learning the lessons that our hurt and pain teach us, and choosing not to suffer from it instead. A little motivation is all we need.

 

 

Motivational Minute

Countless Beginnings

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In life we often dwell on the end – the end of a relationship, a career, a season, a year. While the ending of something is a part of life, we should try to focus on beginnings. Each day presents us with the opportunity to renew our hopes and our strengths. The end of anything we may have in life, presents us with the opportunity for a wonderful and glorious beginning of something that we may have never had before.    

Today let’s be motivated to embracing new beginnings and all the hope and possibilities they bring. A little motivation is all we need!