Resolutions? Try this!Written by Miami Phillips
Several articles and newsletters with message that New Year’s resolutions are a worthless exercise and a poorly disguised setup for failure have passed across my desk this last week, and year before, and year before that. I do not believe in failure! There is always something good to be found in any learning experience. Besides, if we always succeeded at everything we did, we would not know we succeeded because there would be nothing to measure success against! Certainly, normal statements along lines of losing weight, quitting smoking, etc. are normally an invitation to be unsuccessful. The reason being that if you could not find power before to achieve this, what would be different about now? However, here are some ideas for you to consider that could possibly have a huge impact on your life this coming year. 1. Define your Self. Who are you? What do you stand for? What are values that make you whole? Begin this task immediately and put it in writing. Refer to it often. Refine it continually as you discover things about your Self you did not know. Start with following premise, which many of us have. You are not your work, your family or anything else external. You are internal. You are you. 2. What is your dream for future? This is your intent. If it remains undefined and unrecognized, it will most likely never be created into reality. The reason for this is that you have to create your own reality. If you do not begin with this first step of intent to create, nothing can happen. Everything that ever is, was first a thought; then spoken, then acted upon. Of course this concept is much easier said than done. May I suggest that you not concern yourself with HOW and only concern yourself with intent? The HOW is not really in your power at this time. You need help with that.
| | Tough TimesWritten by Jerry Lopper
Publishing Guidelines: This article may be freely published so long as author's resource box, bylines, and copyright are included.TITLE: Tough Times AUTHOR: Jerry Lopper CONTACT: jerry@yourcoachtosuccess.com COPYRIGHT: ©2004 by Jerry Lopper. All rights reserved WORD COUNT: 510 FORMAT: This article is formatted to 61 cpl. ---------- For most of us, life is a mixture of placid and tumultuous experiences. Like a roller coaster ride, life brings us periods of smooth ride punctuated with interludes of stomach churning, accelerating drops through unexpected. As a younger man, I tended to resist unpredictable and difficult life challenges coming my way, thinking that I could keep life smooth and predictable by exerting control, working harder, and working smarter. Of course, I failed. Now I realize that life is supposed to be just as it is. In fact, I’ve come to appreciate breath-taking drops for opportunities they bring me-not that I always welcome them, but I appreciate them. Tough times have much to offer us. Only when challenged do I have opportunity to experience who I am and what I can do. Tough times show me my true self, and permit me to demonstrate who I am to my loved ones and myself. We are role models for some one at all times. As parents, we are probably somewhat aware of role modeling responsibility, but it’s not just our children who watch us. It often surprises me to find that someone with whom I’ve had infrequent casual interactions regards me a role model for some aspect of life. Perhaps this is not so surprising, when I realize that I hold similar regard for others, yet have not told them so.
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