No limits

“Challenge your limits don’t limit your challenges…” – Juan de Jongh

You are capable of much more than you are giving yourself credit for.  You have survived for so many years since you were born.  Despite your set-backs, you have continued.  You have conquered trials and tribulations.  What is impressive is that you have done this with your head held high. 

Most people don’t know what you are going through, but you persevere.  Your ability to get up after every fall is testimony to your tenacious nature.  It has not been an easy road for you, you have dents and scratches, you are battered and bruised, but you are alive.  This demonstrates that you are a winner.  Winners have no limits. 

I've learned...

“I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on (and it will), it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou

Take a detour

“A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour…”  ~ Anonymous

Sometimes our plans don’t work out and then we are upset about it.  Life is not a journey with an itinerary; it pretty much is an adventure trip where you encounter challenges and storms.  However, every now and again, we get to the top of another mountain and are amazed by the view. 

Detours can lead to the discovery of new opportunities… new sceneries… new horizons… that are much better than our pre-determined, boring, route.  Yes, we make mistakes and take wrong turn-offs or misread the maps of life, but nothing is ever a waste when you look back at the road travelled.  It’s a matter of perspective.

Count your blessings

“Count your blessings and your problems….If your problems outnumber your blessings, Count Again…  Chances are the things that you take for granted were not added up…”  ~ Unknown

Complaining is our new national sport.  We complain without really thinking about the subject of our complaint.  “Oh, I don’t feel like work today… I’m so tired.”  We complain because everyone else complains.  “The petrol price…”  We complain because it makes us feel better.  “If only…”  We complain... because we can… 

If we were to count our blessings before we complain, we might have second thoughts.  No matter how bad our circumstances, somewhere in the world, maybe closer than we would like to know, there is someone who is worse off than ourselves.

People matter

Will you hug that college degree in the walnut frame? Will you ask to be carried to the garage so you can sit in your car? Will you find comfort in rereading your financial statement? Of course not. What will matter then will be people. If relationships will matter most then, shouldn't they matter most now?”  ― Max Lucado

Is this quote from Max Lucado an eye-opener to you?  Maybe you realise now that you have been working and working and working, not realising that you are neglecting your husband/wife, your children, your animals.  Maybe you have been working long hours and studying to ensure you are qualified for the next promotion, and this is how you have been living your life for the past 10+ years.  Maybe you are so focussed on making provision for the future that you don’t realise that the future might consist only of yourself, because you don’t have any relationship with those who you are doing it for. 

The top of the ladder is often a very lonely place.   I’m not saying that we should not have any ambition or that we should not strive to better our circumstances or that one should not make provision for retirement.  It is all about balance.  Work hard and play hard – equally.

You are strong

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have…~ Unknown”

Do you feel as if you have reached the end of the rope?  Do you feel helpless… hopeless…defeated.  Do you feel as if you have tried everything, given it your all, and nothing works?

You are not alone.  Many of us can identify with how you feel.  We’ve all been there at some stage of our lives.  Human beings are magic creatures.  Somehow we pull through.  Somehow we survive and manage, despite the odds. 

Look back at previous tough times you went through and remember that you have come out stronger and better.  You can survive this storm too.  Being strong might be the only straw you can hang on to currently… hold on tight.  You can make it.  You are stronger than you think.  Don’t ever give up on YOU.

Running away

“Running away from a problem, only increases the distance from the solution…  The easiest way to escape from the problem is to solve it…” ~ Unknown

On a daily basis we encounter problems.  Some of them we can solve easily and quickly.  Others are more difficult to solve.  Maybe we are afraid of the outcome.  Maybe we are afraid of the individual.  Maybe we don’t like confrontation.  Maybe we are so hurt that we just don’t know how to deal with it.

Unfortunately ignoring a problem does not make it go away.  Sooner or later we have to face it and solve it.  Sometimes it is good to walk away and try again at a later stage. 

However a lot of problems arise in our heads due to our own assumptions and conclusions.  Instead of talking to the other party about the problem, we have conversations with ourselves.  The noise in our heads is often our biggest enemy.

Solve the problem.  Do not run away from it.  Give the other person a chance.  Be reasonable, calm, logic and approachable… even when you feel you are right.

I owe, I owe...

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.  ~Henry David Thoreau

In the Corporate World, we are driven by achievement, performance, promotion.   Companies are driven by profits and shareholders expect returns.  For the go-getters, there are opportunities.

When you earn more, you buy more.  When you own more, you owe more and before you know it, you are singing:  I owe, I owe... and off to work I go.

You end up giving more and more... more of your time... more of your principles... more of your life.   How much life are you exchanging currently?

Adjust your sails

You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails... Jimmy Dean

Sailing into the wind is a sailing expression that refers to a sail boat's ability to move forward despite being headed into the wind. (Wikipedia)

Many a sailor’s boat has capsized and that is how they learn to adjust their sails and use the wind to their advantage.  Sailing into the wind also takes longer than sailing straight to your destination; however you will still get to your destination.  Not adjusting your sails, will not bring different results. 

In many instances one doesn’t have control over what happens to you.  You cannot force someone to stay in a relationship, but you can find happiness again... You cannot change the past, but you can do things different in the future... You cannot control the petrol price or the value of the rand, but you can change your means of transport or your spending habits...  You cannot stop the re-structure, but you can see it as an opportunity...  You cannot change how people behave towards you, but you can change how you feel about it...

Adjust your sails... constantly

Life is not a rehearsal

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” ― Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Life is not a rehearsal, its reality TV at its best, with no script whatsoever.  One doesn’t receive an itenary when you are born.  Hopefully you are in a position to make decisions, but curve balls are thrown your way and sometimes you really don’t have control of which way things end up going. 

Stuck in a rut?

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

Do you live or do you exist?  Every morning you wake up, follow the same routine and go to work, drive the same road to work, work in the same office, with the same people, drive the same road home, watch the same TV programmes, go to bed around the same time... and tomorrow you do it all over again...

It is so easy to fall into a rut.  Do something today or over the weekend that will take your breath away.  Instead of going directly home, arrange to meet your loved ones somewhere to watch the sun set. 

Take responsibility

 “Peak performance begins with you taking complete responsibility for your life and everything that happens to you.” Brian Tracy

Denying responsibility starts at a very young age.  Small children will blatantly lie or point the finger at a sibling instead of admitting guilt.  In all fairness, who wants to be the cause of your own punishment?  Unfortunately this behaviour pulls through to adulthood. 

Only you will know whether you are avoiding responsibility; maybe even blaming others for what went wrong in your life.  Admittedly, it is easier to blame someone else than to accept responsibility, but does that make you feel good about yourself?  

 Denial is robbing you of success. 

To be vulnerable

“Sometimes I think we waste our words and we waste our moments, and we do not take the time to say the things that are in our hearts when we have the chance…”  ~ Clay, One Tree Hill

Nobody should die with regrets.  We complicate matters with our own thoughts, perceptions or conclusions, rather than saying what is in our hearts.  Often it’s due to a major misunderstanding or because we allowed pride to jeopardise our happiness.  It’s ok to be vulnerable.

Charming gardeners

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~ Marcel Proust

Most of us are taking life just too serious when you consider that we’re not going to get out of it alive.  Relax… make other’s happy… become a charming gardener of souls.

Made for loving

“We were made for loving…  If we do not love, we will be like plants without water…”  ~ Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Every human being long to be loved; some just don’t know how to display it.  One of the positives of the young generation is that they taught us to hug.  Lately everyone hugs, and hardly anyone shy away.  A hug is welcoming and says “you’re special and it’s great to see you”.

Admitted there are people who don’t like it if you invade their space, but I’m sure even they have a yearning to be loved albeit in a different way.

What are your values?

“It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are…”  ~ Roy Disney

Do you stand firm in your beliefs?  Will you disagree with the majority because of your values or do you change your values according to what will make you popular?

It is not easy to live out your values, but people respect those who stand and fall for what they believe in. 

Values are not nice-to-haves; they are the foundation of mankind.  Remove the values and the structure crumbles.

Not to choose

Not to choose is also a choice – Anonymous

Life starts with a choice every morning – to open your eyes or not.  Throughout the day you are faced with choices, most of which you make subconsciously… one sugar… coffee… pink shirt… 

There are times that we think it would be better to do nothing… for the sake of peace.  Even this is a choice.  Even if you allow the other person to choose, it is a choice.

Choose wisely and accept the responsibility of your choices.

The eyes are blind, look with the heart

"But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart..." ¬ Antoine de Saint

According to a prominent entrepreneur, there is no place for emotion in business.  If you want loyalty, buy yourself a dog.

Maybe that is why so many businesses are suffering during the current economic climate?  When you look with the heart, you see human beings with dreams and desires.  When you look with the eyes, you see profits and shareholders.

When you see figures black on white, it is easy to reduce staff numbers.  When you look with the heart you see people who will stick with you even after the storm subsided.

God's gift to you

“Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God…” ~ Leo Buscaglia

Some of us have many talents, but we don’t use them.  Others have received less talents, maybe only one, but they use it to its fullest.  In some instances, we don’t even know that we have a talent until we have an opportunity to discover it.  Be it as it may, we have all received at least one talent. 

What we do with our talent(s) is what makes a difference.

Dress rehearsals

“If only life was a dress rehearsal and we had time for do-overs…” ~ Greys Anatomy…

We are human and we make mistakes.  Unfortunately, life doesn’t come with a manual.  Even if it does come with a manual, many of us would probably not read it.

Every action has a reaction, they say.  My actions will impact someone else.  No action, might also impact someone else. 

Therefore we should consider our actions carefully.  Will my action, or lack of action, have a positive or negative impact on someone else? 

A sad summary

“The saddest summary of life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” ~ Unknown

One day I’m going to go to Mauritius…  One day I’m going to skydive…  One day I’m going to buy myself… 

One day is not a day of the week, neither a day of the month.  Do it now.  At the very least, set a timeframe to your dreams.  If you don’t it may become the saddest summary of your life.