Setting Goals ? Or Simply Satisfied?

What is it about our lives and our patterns in our day to day that create in us this need to set goals?

Recently, I had a conversation with a group of people around the idea of creating goals, and found that most of us could agree that we tend to set goals only when things get in an urgent situation, verses setting goals because we see the importance of what that goal will accomplish for the quality of our lives.

Do you ever find that we as a whole, are simply never satisfied? What does it take to get to a place where we are simply satisfied? Are we even set up for that? Were we created for that? To just be satisfied? What could that look like?

I feel like we are just not allowed to be satisfied. Life is moving fast and things and people are ever changing and if we stand still for any amount of time, we feel that we are somehow stagnant and a non contributer. But is that what being satisfied is all about? If you love your life, you like who you are and what makes you the person you are...you like how and the level of how you contribute day to day to this thing called life...is that good enough for you?  Think about that for a moment....Really think about that.

Now...

When you set goals, are you setting the goals for you and your life? Or are you setting them on the expectations from others, whether perceived or tangible?

In order for us to propel forward, to grow and move and really have our being...really, we need to set goals for ourselves, but it's gotta be for us and for no one else. When you do this, you'll work to achieve those goals with passion and purpose, with success, dare I say, and the results will be solid and long lasting.

So, what am I trying to say here?

Be true to who you are, work to go after the things and the life that you want for yourself and if you are ok with where you are at and who you are, BE OK WITH THAT. Be satisfied. But if you are thirsty, if you want more for your life, for your heart, for your mind...work to set goals that will propel you forward and leave you more satisfied. The AHA here? We are more satisfied when we are setting goals knowing whole heartedly that they are for you and you alone.

So these are my rambling thoughts today and I'd love your feedback. Thanks for 'listening'.

Walk boldly into today, do it with no regrets, do it with passion, and leave an imprint.

Taking the Journey in Bare Feet

Have you noticed that we walk through life struggling to stay grounded in who we are, what we want our life to produce, working so hard to impress others, not really aware that we are losing sight of the child like dreamer we once were, so full of possibility and promise? And it's exhausting! Many times even, we are not aware that we are floating through life, just getting by, for the sake and trust of a steady paycheck, a conversation without conflict or a different view, a need to be accepted and loved and approved of...there is this belief we need to be seen as smart as, rich as, successful as, happy as, and more than, better than...you get the idea. So many of us spend each day putting on someone else's shoes or shoes too small or big for us, then stumble through life knowing something just doesn't quite fit.

What if we were take our shoes off? What if we were to walk each day out in bare feet, with nothing between our 'soles' and the ground we walk on called life? What would it feel like? What could you experience wiggling your toes in the sand, walking a path of hot coals, dancing on your fathers feet, skipping along the road, or feeling the cool green grass under you, and ultimately, leaving an imprint wherever you go?

Walking in bare feet is humbling. It denotes having your feet firmly planted on the ground. It represents a connection with the earth and within your core. You feel the earth move under you and respond accordingly. It is powerful and peaceful all at once.

What if you were to look at living out your life in such a way? That you would choose to be firmly planted as the person you were made to be, living out your life authentically with those around you? What if you were to shed the 'shoes' in your life, all of the facade and masks in your life, and instead embarked on taking the journey each day in wonder of who you really are, in enjoyment and trust that who you are matters JUST AS YOU ARE?

For the first time in my life, I am recognizing that when I strip away all of the beliefs, the fears, the uncertainties, the unfamiliar and all too often untruths of who I should be and instead just breathe and live and BE who I am, I'm a pretty wonder-filled person. JUST AS I AM. And when I live each day out, choosing to be authentically me in conversation, in relationship, in myself and in the moment, I am more alive than I have ever been.

Practicing Kindness - From the Mouth of Babes

We live in a world of hustle and bustle. Our world has become so self focused and busy that we seldom see what is outside of our direct visual focus and all around us, people are in a place of need, of loneliness, lost in this crazy world feeling alone and hopeless.

My sister in law, or as we call each other, my sister in love, is an incredible mother. She reminded me recently of the power behind practicing kindness in simple and selfless ways. Every morning, she talks to her 2 young daughters about practicing kindness in their school day. This simple action brings it front of mind to remember to be kind to their schoolmates and to do something specific in their day that makes someone else feel special. Wow, what a concept! From this simple teaching these girls have an understanding beyond their comprehension at this point of their young lives. The other evening, they were out for a meal together and as they were leaving, my sister in law turned around to find her oldest daughter was not there. As she looked around, she notices an elderly man waving and could then see her daughter walking towards her. As her daughter neared, she asked her where she was. Her daughter replied, "Mom, it's that man's birthday, and I wanted to wish him a happy birthday." My sister in law was able to find out that this elderly man was deeply touched by the heart and courage of this small child to walk up to his table of many in order to ensure he felt special on his birthday. I get goose bumps just thinking about it. You see, this young girl is quite sensitive, not at all outgoing and for her to push past that in order to instead make sure this man received a happy birthday....well, we can all learn from this child.

A friend of mine told me last evening that when he was recently filling his tank at a gas station, he felt compelled to wash the windshield of another vehicle close by. As he was inside picking up a cup of coffee and a light snack, the gentleman who owned the vehicle paid for his fill, turned and said to my friend, "Hey man, thanks alot. Your coffee is on me", and he went on his way. A simple act of kindness. What simple acts of kindness come to mind for you as you read this, that you either experienced or offered?

In thinking about these two seperate experiences, I think that we can have no way of knowing how these two simple acts will reverberate and be passed on and on. What seems like nothing to us can have a huge effect on someone else.

The moral of the story? Do not underestimate the power of who you are to someone else. To someone else, you might be the whole world. A simple act of kindness breeds hope in a hopeless world and now is a time for hope. What can you do in this day in order to effect change? If the act of a child can make a difference, so can we.

As always, I look forward to your feedback and perhaps you have a story of kindness to share with us.

Pondering a quote to action

"We can either watch life from the sidelines, or actively participate...Either we let self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy prevent us from realizing our potential, or embrace the fact that when we turn our attention away from ourselves, our potential is limitless."
~ Christopher Reeve

Again and again, we are met daily with choices - the 'T' section in our daily journey where we choose to go left or right, or turn around and go back a ways.
Our decisions determine our choice to live a life in control of a moment. Not the future. Not by plan or design. But by choosing to be alive in THIS moment and hope that we take from it what we can, learn from it and allow it to strengthen us further as we walk towards the next moment and the next and the next.

I can't help but think that when you see words like this come from a place of hurt, disease, major struggles and imminent death....how can we dare to be less courageous? This wisdom snaps me back to the present, and reminds me how I conspire to harm myself by my thoughts and fears.

Let's use this moment to move forward, look ahead and boldly choose to be an active participant in our life, believing in ourselves and all we can be.

Destiny verses Control

"Our destiny changes with our thoughts; we shall become what we wish to become, do what we wish to do, when our habitual thoughts correspond with our desires." ~Orison Swett Marden

Do you believe that you control your own destiny? Or do you believe rather, that your destiny was laid out for you long ago and you are simply on the ride, responsible only to live out that destiny the best way you can, without control or ability to change it?

I'm musing on this today as it applies to our character. I can't help but think that when we have the attitude of belief that we control our destiny, that we then take more responsibility for the thoughts and actions in our lives. By doing this, it effects our level of character, our measure if you will.

Destinyis described in Wikipedia as "a predetermined course of events.It is a concept or belief that there is a fixed natural course to the universe."

When we face each day boldly, believing that CHOOSE to walk the path in front of us, I believe that we can effect real change in our lives and create our own destiny. Even more, I believe that when we CHOOSE the attitude and character in which we walk that path each day, that we also facilitate how others respond to us, how we effect the lives of others that we encounter along our paths each day, and inevitably, how the path will unfold before us as we move forward.

Example - When faced with the fear of change, one can choose to be disabled by it, caught like a deer in the headlights and just wait for something around them to change before making a move and in the process, cower and hide, nothing changing, no challenge met. But, if the same person chooses instead to face the fear, consider where it's coming from, and search for solutions with an attitude of grace and fortitude,courage and patience, it will empower the person to forge ahead, with more knowledge and strength than they had before.

The one let the circumstances of their life hold them at bay, thus becoming a victim of circumstance, fate - destiny. The other saw the circumstance as challenge and an opportunity to grow, thus becoming purposeful - controlling their destiny.

We can choose to face each day head on, with a desire to grow, learn and change, building our future, ourselves, inside and out. By controlling our destiny with our thoughts, our desires and dreams, using the challenges that face us each day as a means to grow and build into our tomorrows, we do control our destiny. Sounds good to me.

"A man is what he thinks about all day long." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson