I Think You Can

There will always be doubts, excuses, and objections. It will take time. It will take sacrifice. It will take everything you've got. But it will be worth it.

Please don't be afraid to dream. Don't limit your goals out of fear. Find your passion and your purpose and make it happen. There may be a million reasons it will never work, but what if...? What if you can have and do more than you ever dreamed possible? 

You Versus You

Your greatest battle begins with every new day. Your enemy is smart, cunning, ruthless, and it knows all of your weaknesses. It's a duel to the end, and you must never give up. Never let your guard down.

Your nemesis? It's you. It is the critical, cruel, doubtful voice whose goal is to make you feel worthless and powerless. It doesn't believe in you and doesn't think you deserve love. It only sees your flaws, then magnifies them. 

If you are ever going to have the life you desire, to follow your dreams, to author your own story- you must overcome that voice. Be your own cheerleader. Become your own hero. It all starts and ends within you.

Sunday Funday

In college, our cafeteria would have an ice cream sundae bar to celebrate each Sunday. It was a silly, simple tradition that I secretly looked forward to all week. 

I was that student who couldn't take enough advanced courses or be in too many clubs. I generally raced from one activity to another, and rarely ( I now regret) devoted any time to nurturing close relationships. I was simply too busy!

But each Sunday, my friends would gather together around the table and catch up over scoops of chocolate chocolate chip or peanut butter madness. I'll never forget those memories.

By creating these small moments of togetherness in our lives now, we can make time for the things and people who matter the most to us. These are the memories you will store in your heart. Take the opportunity this Sunday to connect with someone you love. It doesn't have to be done grandiose gesture to have impact. To the world, you may just be one person. But to that person, you just may be the world.

What Will You Accomplish?

Some people see a blank page as their worst nightmare. How do I start? What if I make a mistake? What if no one likes what I create?

I'm one of those rare beings who gets excited tingles when I see a fresh notebook page and a sharpened pencil, teaming with ideas and promise. 

Does that mean I think it's an easy task? No! But the beauty of a new beginning is that it is entirely up to me what to write, which direction I want to go in, and who I include in this journey. I often change my mind, find errors in my wording, and doubt my decisions. That's part of the process! 

You don't have to have all the answers now. It's ok to be afraid. Now is the time, however, that you must be brave! Jump off that high dive and go for a triple flip! Even if you belly flop, you can be proud of yourself for trying.

Fun Friday Thought

So many of us get wrapped up in the daily grind of work, chores, and appointments. We are so focused on just making it through the week, that by the time the weekend rolls around, we exhaustedly use it to rest or we continue to over schedule our own productivity. In the back of our minds, somewhere between grocery lists and dentist visits, hides secret plans for a dream vacation, where finally, you will take some time to enjoy life again.

Why are you scheduling happiness? And why aren't you making it a priority? If you are authoring your life, choose to be happy now. If your job is miserable or your relationship a broken mess, do something to change the situation! Take charge! You CAN be happy and you DESERVE to be happy.

What fulfills you? What makes you smile? It could be as small as noticing a ladybug landing on your windowsill or as grand as driving to the ocean after work to watch the sun set. 

Stop waiting for life to begin. You're there right now. Write your story. Live your dream.

Bravery

Have you ever thought of happiness as a courageous act? I've been pondering the concept of and the universal search for happiness for a while. It's meaning is as ambiguous and individualized as the word "love," yet generally agreed upon to be a positive state at the very least. 

It seems that, while happiness is accessible to all, only a few people can claim to be truly courageous. One must earn that honor through effort, discipline, and strength of character. What's so courageous about being happy?

Perhaps genuine happiness is harder to attain than we'd assumed. It takes just as much effort to smile as to frown, but it takes tremendous work to maintain happy relationships. Furthermore, when the world seems to thrive in commiserating over problems and failure, it takes resiliency and fortitude to maintain a positive mindset. It means trusting strangers and finding the best in everyone. It's found in second chances and hopeful wishes. It's believing in possibility when there's little probability. 

Each day, we make a conscious decision whether or not to be happy. Choose to be brave. I believe in you.

Take the Lead

I've been about leadership a lot lately. What does it really mean? How do I become a leader? What if no one follows?

Growing up, I used to idolize my role models. They tended to be focused, kind, genuine, goal-oriented, and inspired. They were people whom I trusted to do the right thing in hard situations. Their words matched their actions and their promises were always kept. 

As I've matured, I've since come to recognize that they, too, are human and flawed. They've made mistakes and grown through struggles. I see that they ask for help as much as they offer it. 

I understand that being a true leader is not about being flawless. It's not about how many followers you appear to have, nor is always easy. Leaders are humble, yet confident. They strive to be the best version of themselves, and then to help others do the same. They magnify other people's strengths and support their victories. A leader plays every role on the team at some point. They try to live by example, with integrity and honesty. 

As a leader, I hope to leave this world a better place. If I have touched just one person's  life, I will consider my journey a success.