HOW HIGH ARE YOUR WALLS? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 178

There are walls in and around homes, apartment buildings, businesses parks.  Those walls do not present many problems.  However, the walls we build around ourselves can be very daunting.  Almost everyone at sometime in life puts up walls to protect themselves mentally, emotionally, or even physically. The walls that we build do not shut others out but rather they shut us in which is really not very smart.

If you have internal walls to prevent you from being hurt (possibly again) or from allowing people to really get close to you and to know you, then ask yourself if you are truly benefiting from them?  I know someone who has managed to build strong and big walls to protect her emotionally and mentally from anyone coming into her life.  On the surface she is charming, attractive, very smart and vivacious and fun.  That is the side she presents to the world.  She gets along well with her business colleagues and others, but she is now 50 years old and totally alone.  She has kept everyone at arms' length for so many years that she has only a couple of friends from earlier years who live in other states so she may or may not have a telephone conversation with them a couple of times a year.  She has avoided personal relationships because of the damage done to her by two relationships when she was young and had her heart broken.

As we get older we rely more and more on our friends and family.  When our parents are gone, and if we are not close to siblings or have none, we are going to need our spouses, significant others, and friends.

Have you done anything to wall yourself off from others?  If so, think carefully about it and realize that before it is too late it is time to tell yourself daily to

SCALE MY WALLS!

ARE YOU ALWAYS A TEAM PLAYER? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 171

The words "team player" are used a lot.........not only in sports but in business, in volunteer groups, in communities.  Often times I have thought that men would be more apt to be familiar with that term and to actually behave as team players because of growing up playing sports.  When I was growing up other than gym class there were few opportunities for girls to play sports.  Of course, that has all changed and girls are as active in sports as boys.  Hopefully, that will introduce them to being "team players."

In a family, marriage, business, or sports we are better off if we understand how to function as part of a team.  The responsibility for the success of anything is usually distributed among all of the participants.  It may not always be spread equally based on seniority, position held, or ownership but still members do share in the outcomes.

In my career I like to think I was a team player much of the time, but in truth there were times when the risks were great and the ultimate responsibility was mine.  In those instances I obtained feedback from all the various staff members and evaluated it before making a decision.  Sometimes I disagreed with their feedback and explained that it would be my "neck on the line" so while I respected their opinions I had decided to

DO IT MY WAY!

Remember that sometimes you also may need to do that.  It is not typical pulling rank but rather making a decision that if you are going down you are going down under your own decision.

WHEN DO YOU RELAX? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 147

Do you ever get totally wrapped up in family or personal matters, business commitments, volunteer duties, and just life in general so you feel as if you are spinning in circles or even out of control.  I know I can allow myself to  get into that predicament.  Try to reel yourself in and think of all that is right in your life, of all that is important but not critical to that day, of what you actually must do yourself or what can be done by someone else.  When you do that you are able to realize that you are not spinning anymore, and you can take a huge deep breath, relax, and tell yourself

ALL IS WELL!

ARE YOU PUTTING OFF HAPPINESS? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 137

Sometimes we put off more things than we should.  We think the time is not right.  We think we cannot afford it.  We worry about what others will think or say.  We think the current status of our life, career, family or business is not yet where or what we want it to be.  We think we have not yet achieved enough success or made enough progress.  Well, truth be told we should not wait to acknowledge and appreciate where we are in the present moment.

We should not wait too long.  There may not be a better time.  We should step out in faith and

CELEBRATE NOW!

HAVE YOU STOPPED DREAMING? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORLDS - DAY 110

A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep................... or so the lyrics from a song in Walt Disney's Cinderella told us.  What about the dreams we have when we are awake?  The dreams of going to college, of becoming a doctor, of becoming a professional athlete, of having a family, of escaping poverty, of saving the world or at least a part of it, or of owning your own business are just some of the dreams people have when they are awake.  Then as life and reality happen some people give up on their dreams, but it is so important to remember that it is never too late to dream or to pursue a dream.  Why did you stop dreaming?

Today's message is:

DREAM ON!

ARE YOU PROUD OF YOURSELF? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 69

Even if you are proud of yourself, your accomplishments, your family, your career, etc. there can always be a time when something happens which is either very embarrassing or disappointing to you.  When something like that happens, what do you do?  Do you retreat into your shell?  Do you act as if it never happened?  Do you try to ignore it and hope it will go away?

We all fumble at times, and we all make mistakes even though we live in a world that tries to cover up mistakes and shame people for making any.  So do yourself a favor............apologize if need be and move on because it won't be the last mistake you ever make or the last time you drop the ball.  You are human and it comes with the territory.

Today's message is:

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP HIGH!