Hello Week, Let’s Do This!

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Today we find ourselves at the beginning of another week. A new week filled with opportunities that are ours for the taking, and all that we have to do is be committed to making this our best week ever. You may say that is a bold statement and how can this be our best week? Reality is that within each of us is the ability to be greater than any of us could have ever imagined.

 

Mark Twain once said that; “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover”. In order to be successful we must first be determined that whatever ​it takes; whether that be working harder, although I’m not talking about the physical. In this statement, I am referring to the commitment necessary to climb to higher levels than we ever imagined.  

 

Secondly, we must move beyond our comfort zones. Too often, I hear people complaining abouthe bar being raised as soon as they hit the old levels of expectations. Reality is, the bar should not have to be raised; we should be constantly looking for ways to raise the bar ourselves. We’ve all heard the old Babe Ruth saying that; “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games”. There probably is no truer statement of life than this one. How many times have we scratched our heads and pondered how a great athlete can win a championship one year and within the next or even a few years later to be traded or fired because of failure to repeat thereafter?

 

No matter how great last year, last week, or even yesterday was, we should all want to accomplish more today than we have ever thought possible in the past. My intent here is not to diminish any accomplishments, just like the trophies we received in our childhood for our achievements; they are milestones to be savored, and cherished. However, like the high school quarterback who considers those years to be the best moments of his life, if we are not careful we will become so focused on the great moments of our past that we fail to accomplish and fulfill our potential for greatness. So, with that being said; hello week, let’s do this, and make it a great one!

 

Today Is A Fresh Start … Embrace It

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Probably one of the most used phrases among writers and speakers is some variation that says; “Every Day Is A New Beginning”. Perhaps it is overused, but then again maybe not. Too often most of us fail to realize the truth in that statement, and as a result, we drag whatever baggage existed yesterday into today. It is time to lay all of the baggage and past failures down and make today something special.

 

Let me challenge each of you to start every day with a blank canvas, leaning on the lessons learned from our yesterdays, then paint a new masterpiece and form a renewed focus that says that today is mine, I’m gonna embrace it, and this very day will be the most successful day of my life so far! Imagine how “helpful” you will be if your entire focus is on making today awesome for every person you encounter; whether a customer, a waitress at lunch, a person in need, or a family member.

 

Many of the people we encounter on a daily basis, we may or may not ever see again for many reasons. Sometimes it is of no fault of our own, but on many occasions, a kind word or better yet, a real desire to treat that individual as the most important person you will encounter today, can not only take care of their immediate needs, but also build lasting relationships that are beneficial to everyone.

 

Have you ever encountered a waiter/waitress, or been assisted by someone in a business or maybe even a medical facility who treated you as if you were the only person they would encounter that day? There is something about that type of person who doesn’t even seem to have to work hard to get your business. You want to do business with them because they genuinely seem to care about you, and whatever your needs are.

 

You have the same abilities and opportunities as the next person, if you will only seize them. If that means more training, there are many willing to help you there. However, if it means a change of attitude then you have to decide whether you want the success that can follow or not. On the same token, if there is anything standing between you and your success, then get rid of it. Remember this quote from Mother Theresa; “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Have a great week!

My Bucket Has A Hole In It

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Often when you think of a bucket, many good illustrations that are really pretty elementary in theory come to mind. We have all listened to teachers and motivational speakers talking about filling ones bucket with knowledge until it reaches the point of running over and you have no choice but to share what you have learned with others. I have also listened to some speak about filling up others buckets with words of kindness or actions that really show how you care, and that is something we all should be striving to do.

One writer in particular wrote, “When your bucket is full, you feel more confident, secure, calm, patient and friendly”. However, what happens when your bucket is not shiny and new? What about when life has hit you hard and your bucket is bent, and maybe even a little rusty? Then, dog gone it, what are you to do if your bucket has a hole in it?

We all have had those kinds of times when just like the bucket that has been kicked and tossed aside, our lives seem pretty worn and tattered. Those are the times that even if someone shares a kind word or action with us trying to help, it just runs out the bottom like water in the bucket with holes. Many of our lives are just like that old bucket that has seen its better days, and from all appearances needs to be tossed out with the garbage. How many of you have ever just felt like totally giving up, or even felt like an old bucket tossed upon the trash heaps of life?

If so, you are not alone, and yes, many times our lives just like the worn out bucket, can be repaired and ultimately be useful again for the good of those around us and even ourselves. However, what about those defining moments in our lives when the damage is too severe and no matter what we do, we just cannot seem to plug up the holes, and every time we think, we have one hole, otherwise known as catastrophes, taken care of, then another one arrives. Maybe sometimes patching the holes is not the answer and maybe not even possible, but a little bit of repurposing just might be what is in order for our lives.

A few years back I noticed a trend that while probably not a new idea was at least new to me. It seems there are many who will take old and even some new buckets with holes drilled into them and turn them into planters. Creative farmers and even city dwellers with only a little room on the porch have learned the benefits of using otherwise useless buckets to grow vegetables, herbs, flowers and many other things.

That brings me to my point, that just because your life as you have known it is tattered, and seems to be destined for the trash can of life, there are many other options. Many of these so-called useless, scarred, and even ugly buckets now are overflowing with beautiful fruits that can benefit whole communities. So, the next time the winds of life are ripping your world apart and tearing holes in your bucket, add a little dirt and fertilizer. What those are, may be different for each of us; sometimes it may be more education, sometimes-new surroundings or friends, each of us has to figure that out. Then no matter how deep the scars, you can plant something beautiful right in the midst of trouble, so that you can be a benefit to everyone who might also have holes in their buckets.

Think About Today

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“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” These words spoken by former President Lyndon B. Johnson should be each of our credos going forward. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t think about yesterday, because taking time to assess the past failures and successes will make each of our tomorrow’s better.  

 

In order to be our best self tomorrow we need to stop and think about this day, this minute, and even this second. Look inward and ask yourself, if you are doing everything, you know to do, to be successful. If you are not, is it for lack of effort or lack of knowledge?    

 

Lack of knowledge is a solvable obstacle if you are truly committed. However, lack of effort requires a change inside of you, you have to make the commitment necessary and be willing to do whatever it takes to guarantee success. Ask yourself today if you are ready to take that next step, and if so, are you ready to make the changes necessary? Are you ready to study and acquire the knowledge needed to better serve the next person that you encounter, whether it is a customer or someone in need, or even a family member?

 

Don’t worry about yesterday, but learn from it, and make today the day you change your perspective and become determined to be the best you can be. It’s been said that successful people aren’t necessary smarter people. Most every person I know who is successful takes the time every day to look at their goals and make the adjustments in their life to achieve those goals. They will learn from their mistakes and take the actions necessary to continue to be successful.

 

Recently I read that a plane flying from Chicago to Los Angeles is off course 99% of the time. Even though the coordinates are programmed into the computer, it takes the pilot consistently adjusting the altitude and throttle to get the plane to its intended destination and on time. Today I challenge you to make whatever adjustments are necessary to stay or maybe even get on the right course. A good friend of mine once said, “I didn’t come this far to only come this far.” Neither have I, and my desire is that each of you will have that same determination. Have a great week!

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I’m Not Tarzan, And Kudzu Isn’t For Sissies

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As a young child of six years old, one of my favorite television shows on television was Tarzan. Every week this hero of the jungle would save damsels and animals in distress. In addition he could easily dispatch all of the bad poachers and criminals that sought to do evil in the jungle.
However, for most small boys my age the part that we all desired to emulate, was the way he would travel through the jungle, swinging from only the vines that hung from the trees. One by one he would swing until he could grab the next one, and so on.
In the jungle, (pine forest), that grew behind where we lived grew that southern scourge, that has been labeled as covering Dixie like the dew, kudzu. For those unfamiliar, this harmless plant from Asia, brought to the south by wealthy plantation owners, became ever consuming of southern forests across the south. But for me and my circle of friends, those vines hanging from the trees, were as good as the vines that our television hero swung from in the jungles of Africa.
Now, get this picture in your heads. My friends and I go on a deep jungle expedition searching for the perfect vines to swing from. One by one we tug until finally I grab one that seems to be firmly wrapped around the tree tops. Suddenly, after finding that perfect vine this little daredevil, ran as hard as I could, and then leaped as high as I could to grab the vine. With that one jump I grabbed hold and in an instant the vine snapped, and down I went, looking more like “George of the Jungle”, rather than my hero Tarzan.
Not to be dismayed, and especially to quiet the laughter of my friends, I spied another vine. With the determination of a tiger, I jumped even higher this time and one more time I hit the ground with a thud that all could hear. This time however, the laughter got even louder and I’ll be the first to admit that my backside really hurt, but I knew I could not fail, and crying would have resulted in being called a sissy.
From an early age I learned to never give up, and I knew Tarzan would try again, so one more time I made my mind up that I would be the king of my north Georgia jungle. This would be my final attempt, especially since that last fall hurt so much. After finding the perfect vine, I got another running start and as I grabbed hold, the world was great, and I swung for what seemed like miles through those woods, actually it was probably closer to a few feet. Nevertheless, I had beat that evil kudzu and suddenly I was no longer hurting, no one was laughing, and my first two failed attempts were quickly forgotten by all but myself.
Little did I realize among those kudzu filled pine trees behind our house I was learning the power of perseverance, and how to overcome the obstacles that arise in our lives. Most anybody, except my young friends, would have understood if I had stopped after one attempt. However, if I had cut and run, licking my wounds, after only one or even two attempts, I would have never had my Tarzan moment.
Throughout our lives we all have our battles with the kudzu vines, otherwise known as tests and trials, that come in our lives. Sometimes they are quickly dispatched and we can savor the victory, but many times it takes multiple tries to get it right. With each attempt, our fortitude gets stronger and as the world stands laughing, we show that we have the will to overcome the entangled vines that seek to only drop and defeat us.
As for me, on a sunny summer afternoon in the woods behind my north Georgia home, I learned that “I’m not Tarzan, and kudzu isn’t for sissies”. Even more so, I learned that any obstacle can be overcome if I don’t give up after the first or even multiple failures.

The Year The Music Died

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With the recent passing of Prince, it seems that those who wrote the music that we sang, danced to, fell in love to, raised families who also listened, and even buried family to, is slowly being silenced. 2016 has so far become the year that seems as if every time we turn on the radio or television we hear another tragic story, that one more artist that made the music of our generation is gone. Now I realize that if you pause long enough to do the research, every year has claimed its share of those names we all would recognize. However, the difference now is that we have grown older right alongside those we are now losing.

As a young teenager there were several notables; there was Duane Allman in 1971, but for many of us 1977 would be the year, we would never forget. In August of that year the world mourned the death of the King of Rock and Roll – Elvis Presley, then came October, and with it the plane crash that killed six members and crew of the southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, including lead singer Ronnie VanZant. For the remainder of my senior year in high school it seemed, just like a scratched record, that the music of our generation would never be the same.

 

Of course moving into adulthood in the 1980’s there were those notable deaths of many iconic stars as well. Stars such as; John Lennon, Bill Haley, Bob Marley, Harry Chapin, Karen Carpenter, Dennis Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Ricky Nelson, Andy Gibb, and Roy Orbison. The 1990’s had its share as well, with many notable deaths including; Sammy Davis, Jr., Stevie Ray Vaughn, Freddie Mercury, Frank Zappa, Kurt Cobain, Jerry Garcia, Frank Sinatra, and Dusty Springfield, and many others in both decades, the list really is very extensive.

 

However, since the turn of the century a multitude of singers and musicians whom we all loved, are no longer with us. Personalities such as; George Harrison, Waylon Jennings, two of the three brothers who made up the Bee Gee’s – Robin and Maurice, Barry White, and of course Johnny Cash. Then on June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson passed away, and again the world grieved. Death is certain for us all, and naturally, as every year comes and goes, we see an ever-increasing number of those who wrote and sang the soundtrack of our generation are passing.

 

Then came 2016 and it seems that every day another who touched our hearts slips into eternity. The year started with a one two punch when we lost David Bowie, and then Glenn Frey of the Eagles within a week of each other. Then there was Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane, Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, Denise Mathews, ironically, a protégé of Prince otherwise known as Vanity, and the world will forever miss the sweet voice of Natalie Cole. We all shed a tear when after many months of praying we lost Joey Feek, of Joey and Rory.

 

The country music world hardly got its breath back and then we hear of the death of Merle Haggard. Then this past week we learn of the death of Prince at only 57. With this rapid succession of deaths of stars we all loved, it is no wonder that there is angst every time you turn on the news for fear of another death. My parents’ generation had its “The Day The Music Died”, on February 3rd 1959. However, for my generation and me it appears that 2016 is “The Year That The Music Died”.