Why Are YOU here??

When it all shakes out in the end, this is a question to which I hope we will receive an answer!

Why are we all here????

Until that appointed time it is necessary for us to attempt to gauge exactly why we are here during this exact time in history!

In order to do this, we have to start with one belief -- "We are all here for a Reason" (anarchists and atheists feel free to switch blogs - lol...)!!

I find it very hard to believe that any of us truly believe that there are some people placed here on this earth to lead, drive, subjugate, and live better than the others - while other are presumably placed here to be subjugated, serve others, follow, and drift aimlessly day in and day out!

You can be either! But you are not pre-destined to be one or the other!!

We need to face the fact that we may never fully understand our reason for being here or what our role is while we exist here - HOWEVER, that CANNOT preclude us from pursuing the life and the relationships, lifestyle, and purpose we CHOOSE!!!

Yes - We control our own destiny! We have the POWER to enact CHANGE in our lives - Beginning NOW!!

No one is going to hand you "change" -- We have to take it ourselves!! We need to CREATE our own positive change in our lives and we HAVE TO BELIEVE that we can do it!

Which group do you want to be in --- the one that follows, sits back, lamenting their own situation?

Or do you prefer the power of personal STRENGTH to lead others to positive change by example, to TAKE CONTROL of your life, to dictate your path and to experience the Beauty of living your life the way you wish to live it?

It takes STRENGTH of spirit, and resolve, and persistence - but if you are ready to change your life - it is there for you to do!

Take the STEP!! Choose where you want to be - and MAKE IT HAPPEN ONE ACTION at a time!

I BELIEVE IN YOU and I am 100% CERTAIN you have the strength, drive and ability to Take That First Step!

The NEW YOU is waiting --- what do you have to lose?

God Bless and Stay Strong!!

No More Delays!

Happy 4th of July weekend everyone!

Just like the band of our Founding Fathers got together and decided to cut all ties with their Mother Country and risk their lives for Freedom, so do we all have a decision to make! Today!

Perhaps not nearly as dramatic a decision as the Signers of the Constitution had made, but a life altering decision nonetheless!

Decide if you want to change your life to be more positive!

The beauty of "change" is that is can occur at the drop of a hat - it can start right this very instant! All you need to do is DECIDE and then take that first step!

Decide you want to be in better shape!! Well - Right this second put on some sneakers and open the door and go for a walk or a jog! RIGHT NOW!!

DECIDE and ACT!

Want to quit an addiction? DECIDE to STOP right this second and begin the fight to better yourself!

Want to have a better Career?? DECIDE to make a change and open up the computer and start amending/writing the resume!

EVERYTHING we want is there for the taking in this wonderful world of ours - if we simply DECIDE to make a change and the TAKE JUST ONE STEP!!

Do you want it enough to take one Baby Step??

Stay Strong!!!

Freedom

"I am well aware of the toll and blood and treasure it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom I see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth all the means. This is our day of deliverance."
-John Adams, The American Revolution

Wishing you all a Safe and Wonderful Fourth of July, Independence Day weekend!

Take the time this weekend to slow down, realize that life is not a race or a competition, but instead it is about the small, meaningful things that we often overlook - Family, Friends, Compassion, and Unity! Enjoy a cocktail, a soda, some hotdogs, some ice cream - and celebrate all of the Blessings in all of our lives!

We still live in the Greatest Nation in the World and even though we face many challenges as a country at this time, our roots are sewn in Greatness, Leadership, Perseverance, Courage and of course - STRENGTH! That is what we should remember this weekend!

Think of the magnitude of STRENGTH and Courage it must have taken for our Founding Fathers to decide to go it alone - turn away from the only security they had really known, and RISK the liberties, Freedoms, and LIVES of themselves and their families on a notion that most at the time viewed as Foolhardy and IMPOSSIBLE!!

Because of this group of Brave and Courageous Visionaries (and obviously Risk Takers) we are able to live our lives in Freedom and enjoy all the Blessings that Freedom entails!

Be Safe- Enjoy and Reflect --- Share and Love -Forgive - and of course, as always -

STAY STRONG!

God Bless You all and God Bless America!

Courage To Believe -- DO NOT MISS THIS STORY

Thanks to TOT for sending this testament to the Strength of Belief and Life!

Please take a few minutes to watch this -- it needs no commentary and could be all you need to change your perspective on life, courage, and the true meaning of Strength!!

Stay Strong...

http://www.truveo.com/John-Challis-Courage-Believe-Life/id/3977274266


Happy 4th of July!

"Two Sides" - Posted by "TeachU"....

To Stay Strong...

Two sides...

Two sided...

When all looks Bleak- Remember there is another side!

When your day is Phenomenal-Remember there is another side!

It's ok to remember there are TWO SIDES to every coin!

However - It's not Ok to be two sided/two faced!

Be who you are, now, tomorrow and hopefully yesterday you were who you are, and if not- it's OK!

Two sides.. Knowing who you were will help you be who you want to be.

Now take CIMS advice and Allied Effort's advice and teach those, who are, to be polished on both sides.

Have a great day and be who you are!

---- "Teach U"

"How" do you MEASURE UP?

If you stop to think about it, it is truly scary how much of our days/lives are wasted on "Measuring" ourselves against a plethora of factors with the goal of understanding our true worth!

We are constantly taking measure of our "perceived" value, worth, attractiveness, likability, success, etc and constantly judging ourselves against external variables!

Now, some might say this is natural and a way of competing and charting progress - and that has some truth to it indeed.

What I wish to impart on you is that the notion of constantly measuring yourself against external factors is a "NO-Win" Situation!

We like to advocate "Win-Win" situations and this is clearly the opposite!

Why? Because NO MATTER how great you are, how attractive, thin, fast, rich, beautiful, intelligent you are - there will ALWAYS be someone MORE "X" than you! It is inevitable!

In the case of a Tiger Woods - he is on Top now - but like every other SuperStar athlete, singer, actress -- at some point EVERYONE gets passed by another person.

And if you base your whole life and value on being "Numero Uno" -- this cannot be a very happy experience on the downside of your talents!

If you are basing your entire Net Worth, Self-esteem, and Values on this type of Measurement, is it not clear that you are setting yourself up for eventual and inevitable failure?

To clarify - We STRONGLY BELIEVE in striving for excellence, growth, success, and to reach the heights in every single endeavor you undertake! This is a given and we do not mean for you to EVER cease in your pursuits with all the passion and effort you can muster!

Absolutely not! ALWAYS drive for Tiger Woods-like excellence and accomplishments!

All we are trying to make you aware of is that to base your own self-worth and values on constantly measuring yourself on "external factors" will only lead you to disappointment and sadness.

So keep striving to be the BEST at whatever it is you seek to do -- throw EVERYTHING at it and Do Not let up --- just make sure you are measuring yourself ABOVE and BEYOND the materialistic and external factors that so often define "success" in our culture!

Try to gauge where you stand in the following categories:

Friendship --- Are you a good friend, sister, brother, husband, wife, etc? Are you there for your "brothers and sisters" so to speak?

Compassion -- Are you compassionate and understanding with others in your life?

Kindness -- Where do you stack up when it comes to being kind to others and helping others in need?

Support -- How do you measure in the "supporting" people in need category? Are you supportive or detrimental to other's goals and wants?

These are just a few examples of what I mean by choosing carefully what you use to Measure Up in this crazy world!

Bank accounts, nice cars, big houses -- all of these are lovely and important in this world.

However, are these the types of things that you will let drive YOUR happiness factor? Do you think these things will truly bring you JOY?

Remember -- history is paved with people of phenomenal wealth, opulence and material possessions who died alone, unhappy, and miserable!

Balance your choices -- and THINK CAREFULLY the next time you take stock in your "value" on this earth -

What "Measures" Are You Using for "success"????

Keep Striving for Excellence -- it is yours if you can just envision it -- and Stay Strong!

"What are the Rules"??

Let's play a game!

What if I told you we were going to play a game whose length of play is variable and unknown. We will play this game together, but we can team up or go it alone or do a little bit of both. There are many different interpretations of how best to play this game, but everyone plays the game differently and at their own pace!

Here is the only catch --- I can only let you know the Rules of this Game AFTER the game is completed!

Have you ever played a Game like this before?

You have and it is called 'LIFE"!

Think about how crazy life is --- We all set out on the same path with a destination ahead and we are given multiple possible ways/rules to utilize in this "Game" of life - but no one knows for sure if they are playing the game properly, correctly, in line with the way it was intended, etc!

We have many guides, parents, mentors, teachers - ALL of them with their own ideas of how the game ought to be played - but the TRUTH of the matter is that none of these people really UNDERSTAND the Rules and even more importantly - do not know the OBJECTIVE of the Game!

So what occurs?

People adopt their own rules and objectives! Everyone identifying the way they want to play and hitting the field running!

So what path we choose - what Rules we choose - and what we interpret as the Objective of this Game is completely up to us to divine and pursue!

Remember - -we will not get the true Rules of this game until we are finished - so my tip to all of us is that no matter what path or set of rules we pursue -- make sure they include 'Kindness"!

I hate to have to quote Jewel but she nailed it -- "In the end, Only KINDNESS matters" -

So Play the Game you want to play -play it with the best of your abilities - but do not forget how the RULES you choose to play by AFFECT the other people in your lives!

"In the end.. Only Kindness matters!"

And I have Faith that when the Rules are finally discovered - Kindness to your fellow "players" - i.e., our neighbors, family, and friends - will play a MAJOR role in how we are viewed as having played this game of Life!

Stay Strong!!