What a celebratory weekend we just had! It began with the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on Friday February 12th, was followed by Valentines Day on Sunday and officially in some parts of the world, Family Day on Monday.
Aside from having the common focus of ‘celebration’, what other ‘commonalities’ do you share on each of these occasions?
If you make the effort to reflect on just how much each of the above fit into all three occasions, you just may end up feeling like an Olympian yourself!
~Lesia S.
There are a great number of factors and circumstances that may cause irritability. Getting to the heart of what is causing it is likely to involve some searching. The question is if you want to start by calming down that irritability and preventing it from escalating, what can you do?
Some of you may relate to this:
Let’s say you’ve made a choice in your past that put a strain on your finances and you vowed that you’d never do anything to put yourself in that position again. A substantial period of time elapses and your finances are starting to look pretty good then BAM, you do it again. You have a slipup that puts another strain or complication on managing your finances. Maybe you saw an opportunity to increase your income with what looked like a promising venture at the time. However today you’re mentally beating yourself up and asking why this happened again - which is making you feel irritable.
Here’s one perspective:
The ’slipup’ put a strain on managing your finances much like, for example, if you went to the gym and lifted a heavier weight that put a strain on your muscles.
What happens when you lift a heavier weight?
Your muscles ache for a bit longer then they’re back to normal. The next time you work out you are more aware of that heavy weight and avoid it because you remember the pain you felt last time. What else can happen?
A year later, you’ve been exercising regularly and you’re feeling physically fit so you decide to give the heavier weight another go. What happens next?
1. In the next few days you find that your muscles ached a little less but they ached nevertheless, more than you like, or
2. You feel the same pain as the first time and feel irritated that you pushed your muscles too hard but at the same time notice that you didn’t hurt your muscles to any significant degree, or
3. You find that, although lifting weights is important to toning your muscles, the weight you are lifting does not have to be that heavy and you will still get the same toned results - with less or no pain.
~Whether you can relate to this particular example and the three outcomes or not, generally what do you come away with?
~If you feel that it’s created somewhat of a calming affect on you, what specific way of thinking makes that happen?
~How can you apply this way of thinking to other areas of your life?
Jingle bells ringing
Line-ups at the check out
Strings of colored lights, sparkling angels, stars and Santa’s
Overheated babies
Frustrated Mommies
Perplexed Daddies
Overspending
Parking lot fiascos
Tempers flaring
Christmas concerts
Winter break
Day Dreaming
Locking keys in the car
Menu planning
Trimming the tree
Cookie baking
Making wishes
Sending greetings
Dealing with fender benders
Christmas music
Singing in the Church choir
Gift giving
Drinking eggnog, plain and spiked
Fireplaces roaring
Party going
Reminiscing
Last minute shopping
Volunteering
Getting speeding tickets
Thanking
Observing traditions
Attending Religious Services
Fundraising
Hungry
Sharing
Donating
Overeating
Dieting
Deep breathing
Vacationing
Praying
Lives beginning
Lives ending
Re-connecting
Separating
Celebrating
These are just a few random sights, sounds and experiences shared by people all over the world at this time of year. No doubt you will agree, some we can do without, however magically in some way and especially if we look for it, the true spirit of the season is captured in the end. How would you define the true spirit of the season? How will you make it happen?
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~We are thankful and proud to be able to partner with our clients in achieving the best possible personal experience that life can provide, one that is not only rewarding, happy and fulfilling but has a positive ripple affect on others along the way.
In this spirit we wish you and your families the very best of what the Holiday Season has to offer and most importantly, all of what you personally want to experience.
Ben is a successful executive who enjoys music and singing. He is also a family man with a wife and three children who are all musical in some way. Together, Ben, his wife and children have accomplished many endeavors over the years individually and as a family unit – endeavors they are very proud of.
Some time ago, Ben went in to work and was told that it was his last day.
At first he was stunned. His wife shed some tears. Later, after the initial blow to the family and the questions that swirled about, they did what many in similar positions must do – they embarked on a new path.
Embarking on a new path meant that Ben had to do some soul searching. That meant answering a lot of questions about who he was, who he is and who he wanted to be as he moved forward in his life and specifically career. He questioned what choices he wanted to make now that he had been put in a position he did not choose to be in.
It has been a good while since this happened to Ben and his family. You might be surprised by the revelations Ben has had since that fateful day.
He decided to probe his thought processes during the years just prior to being ‘let go’ and as he put it, “be brutally honest with myself”. He was surprised to find that he was subconsciously preparing to move in a new direction months before he left.
Over the years he recalled, his passion for music and singing had not subsided. In fact it continued to flourish. In his spare time he spent hours rehearsing for fundraising events at which he performed and thoroughly enjoyed.
He realized that as much as he was seriously engaged, dedicated and productive in his executive career, part of him and his thought process would be on music and performing. In fact, over the years he had been slowly purchasing expensive audio/electronic equipment and often times by chance, began connecting more and more with people who were involved in the music industry.
-A question you might ask is - was he subconsciously preparing for a new beginning and a somewhat new direction?
-What did he truly want?
-What is Ben doing now?
Today Ben is doing all the things he loves. He is working at a job that engages his specific expertise in business and at the same time lends him the space and time to nourish and reap the rewards of a passion that wouldn’t let go.
When asked, “What do you think the future holds?” the response is, “It looks promising!”
Miley Cyrus sings about one’s journey in life or ‘the climb’ in one of her latest songs. She sings, “there’s always gonna be another mountain….aint about how fast I get there, aint about what’s waiting on the other side, it’s the climb”, and many of you have heard the adage about success being the journey, not the destination.
How do you perceive success?
How has your climb proven to be successful?
How hard or easy is it for you to recognize your successes?
What makes your success different from someone else’s?
What makes your personal journey unique?
Have you ever thought about what makes up a personal journey?
Is it what you see and how you see it?
How you feel and how you want to feel?
How you think?
What you want and how much you want it?
What you do and when you do it?
All of the above?
What else…?
~It’s your climb and your success, then what would stop you from making it your intention to recognize and savor every well-earned moment of each and every personal success and use those celebratory moments to nourish and fuel your soul as you venture ahead?
Harold V. Melchert said it well –
Live your life each day, as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind, But many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point. Climb slowly, steadily, enjoying each passing moment; And the view from the summit will serve as a fitting climax for the journey.
On this Remembrance Day we salute and support you. You are the men and women, past and present, who put yourselves in harms way in the name of freedom and peace. We salute your families and acknowledge their strength. Thank you all for your courage, your heart, your sacrifice, your bravery and your patriotism.
In your honor I for one will reflect on what I can do, how I can be and how I can communicate with others to cultivate respect, freedom and peace to lessen your burden.
In fact, I make it my intention and invite my peers, all men and women, to join me in making myself accountable for my words and actions.
Today we remember and will never forget to celebrate your courage and all of the freedoms that we are privileged to enjoy as a people and a nation.
