Being The Best

I was just about ready to throw in the towel. After months and months of stressing about topics to write about, pages to research, write, edit and publish, and still, no clicks on my links, an even more annoyingly, no sales made.

But that’s actually not the reason why I was just about ready to give up. I have become a bit obsessive compulsive in my thinking. I want to be the best in a field of veterans; people who have been at this since last century. And I think I can huff and puff and make a dent in the line-up.

But that has not happened.

Stop Holding Yourself Back. This is image i983.photobucket.com

I have looked at the top 10 websites in my field and naively told myself, right off the bat, that I want my site to be at the top of that list. This has reminded me of my last few years of primary school. Believe it or not, I was actually clueless to how the system works. I actually thought the teachers just gave us numbers according to how much they liked us. So I wasn’t too back, just a couple of positions shy of the top 10. So I did  nothing to be in the top 15, I just was.

I finally figured out the system when a new boy from a “posh”-er school came and expressed disdain to how “far behind” we were than his old school. How we were doing “baby stuff”. So without him trying, he came out second the first time. And for me that was it, the game was afoot, the challenge had been set: do better than this guy and his posh education.

It didn’t happen overnight, or even over a term. Term after term my name started climbing up the ranks until the very last term of primary school, when I came second. Not first because the person leading the pack had always been there – I mean she knew that “water is a liquid” long before we knew there were words like liquid.

So now here I am, with my website, stressing over the competition to the point of inaction and stagnation.

I’ve had to remind myself of the Parable of the Talents in the Bible. Everyone was given something. And everyone had to work with what they had to increase it. In a way, I was starting to act like the guy who buried his one talent out of fear.

Another example, is Destiny’s Child. We all know that of the 3 women, Beyonce has  always been the “water is a liquid” lady. Then everyone else falls below. But even after going their separate ways, they are all continueing to sing and make a living. I call it  paying the rent – they are all using their talents, no matter where they fall on the charts, and  manage to pay the rent.

Parable of the Talents - Destiny's Child

So that’s how we should all look at our projects – as talents for us to increase, even though the current increment doesn’t land us at the top of the pile, or even at the podium receiving a medal. But the race still requires at least 8 people at the start line.

How is your comparing your best with the current leader in your field affecting your race? And how much good is that doing to your journey?

What is Your Fear?

Fear is whatever is around you that is limiting your power or your potential.

Family on Bikes says that:

Live a dream in the next 24 hours.

If you know you have been busy living out your fears, live intentionally by living your dream in the next 24 hours.

A Girl at The Well says that;

Don't let fear is stop YOUR life.

Therefore, you need to take action now. Advanced Riskology advises that we,

Replace YOUR fear of the unknown with curiosity.

Because according to Heather Paris, guess what;

Fear is a Liar is from Heather Paris' Inspired Wednesday.

For me, my main fear is a lack in faith. Faith being trust. My journey is to build my faith/trust more.

What lies has fear used to hold you back so far in your life? Or business? Or relationships? Leave your comments below.

Happiness is a Choice

Are you happy? The choice is yours.

 

 

Who Are You To Live Intentionally Anyway

One obstacle to getting to Live Intentionally is not knowing You Are What You Are for A Reason. Everything in existence today has a reason for being, be it good or not. There is also a reason for why we are in this world, why we are alive on this particular day.

Sometimes that reason eludes us because we let circumstances and our surroundings dictate negativity into our lives. I remember so often growing up, how I carried bags and bags of cares, worries and questions. Many times it has been easy for me to ask the wrong whys. (Why was I even born? If people didn’t want me, then why…)

Image from http://www.Piccsy.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is also just as easy to feel sorry for myself when all that’s in sight doesn’t measure up to our idea of the “perfect” life.

And even with the passing of time, some of us never grow out of the “why me” attitude. We grow up feeling like and living like, God, our parents and the world have done us wrong. Always the victim. Always the one being done wrong.

Recently I came across the poem You Are What You Are for A Reason by Russel Kelfer in Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life. If you’ve ever felt like you just can’t catch a break, that bad luck is in your genetic make up, that the storm is never over, then I hope these words unlock those chains that are binding you. Otherwise to live intentionally will just be a dream that you won’t allow yourself to experience.

To live internationally, you have to realize that you – you are worth it. And to realise your worth starts with realising that You are who you are for a reason.

You Are Who You Are For a Reason

You are who you are for a reason,
You’re part of an intricate plan,
You’re a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God’s special woman or Man.

You look like you for a reason,
Our God made no mistake,
He knit you together within the womb,
You’re just what He wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones He chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God’s plan in mind,
And they bear the Master’s seal.

No, the trauma you faced was not easy,
And God wept that it hurt you so,
But it was allowed to shape your heart,
So that into His likeness you’d grow.

You are who you are for a reason,
You’ve been formed by the Master’s hand,
You are who you are, Beloved,
Because there is a God!!

Something fell into place as I read the above poem…or maybe something released me –  a light bulb came on. I hope as you read it you let go of some burden that you may have been carrying for a long time.

As I read Russel Kelfer’s words, the questions I had about my coming into this world have started to get answers. What question(s) has this poem answered for you? Share them in the comments area below.

In 2012 – Live Intentionally. Love Abundantly. Give Selflessly.

“To change one’s life: 1. Start immediately. 2. Do it flamboyantly. 3. No exceptions.”― William James

Happy beautiful New Year.

This year I’ve decided I am going to do without New Year resolutions. Instead what I have come up with is a short and easy to remember lifestyle choice. These are the choices I have made for 2012 thus far:

Live intentionally. Love abundantly. Give selflessly.

1. Live intentionally

Have you ever felt like your life was being lived but you were missing from most of the experiences? Well, I choose to live intentionally in 2012. I choose to experience and participate in my own life – every day.

I am reminded of the very memorable scripture in Psalms 118:24, which says “This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Clearly, it is our responsibility to be glad and full of joy about our days. So many days have passed where I had nothing to be glad or joyous about.

In 2012 I choose to intentionally find something to rejoice and be glad about.

Find something every day to be glad and full of joy about.

2. Love abundantly.

Do you ever feel like you’re not fully committed to something? Where you take a break but you feel guilty because you have a lot of other tasks to get through? Where you have convinced yourself that you don’t deserve something and therefore end up not accomplishing or enjoying either? I feel that way more often than I care to remember.

So in 2012, I give myself permission to do what I like with all my heart. I choose to intentionally enjoy myself and my choices.

3. Give selflessly.

I have always thought that I was a giving a person. And over the years I have watched myself shift from giving without expecting anything back, to living in bondage. I have fallen into giving to get and giving selfishly. This recording on www.LifeToday.org about The Blessed Life made me realize that.

Have you ever found yourself “applying” the scripture in Luke 6:38*; “give and it shall be given back to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom*” with the sheer goal of expecting something back?

I have become so needy that when I give an offering, I’ve done it expecting to get something back. I have lost the joy of giving and have fallen into resentful giving.

For 2012, I choose to go back to giving selflessly, give without expecting anything back. Now that’s feel-good giving.

What’s your mantra or battle cry for 2012?

Merry Christmas All

This image is from Dash of Martini Photography. I love their Christmas post – Holiday Bliss. Hope your holidays are full of bliss and blessings.

Thank you for reading my ramblings.

Una

Just Say It!

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?” Steven Levine

I read the above in Chicken Soup for the Soul and just thought it was a good one to share at this festive time of the year. Say something to someone special today.

Image from www.MixHungama.Com

I’m Not Listening

The voice in my head has been taking up a lot of air play of late, and she’s not very encouraging. I have to make a choice:

1) Do I stop listening, or

2) Do I give her new words to say?

There is no way that we can shut out our little voice, so my only choice is to give her new words to say back to me. A new focus. A new plan. A new picture.

Any ideas on how I can re-focus? How do you practically pull yourself away from negative thinking or replaying your mishaps?

Inspire Me – It’s One of Those Days

I need some inspiration today. I’m having one of those days.

Inspire me today.

What quotes do you often draw inspiration from?

Your Dream Is Never Too Big To Be Lived

I was begining to think that maybe, it’s quite possible to have a dream that is too big. My brain had stopped running, no idea was coming and I did for a second there think I was sinking and my work was going down as well.

Then I saw this video. Pia Toscano on Positively Positive.

Your Attitute + Your Choices = Your Life. from Positively Positive.

Now I think maybe a dream is only too big when you stop working at it and give audience to the distractions. People that we might think have failed because they didn’t win the show, or didn’t even make it to the last stage of a competition; guess what, they are actually pursuing and living their dream.

So now I’m pushing forward. I’m stopping only to analyse the situation, come up with another plan of attack, and resume.

Do you ever find yourself leaving your dream at the face of an obstacle? How can you we react differently to challenges?