HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU HEARD OR SAID THIS? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 143

When you ask someone to do something how often is the response, "I'll try."  When you invite a friend to join you for a drink or dinner or an event, how often is the response, "I'll try."  When someone asks you to do something or extends an invitation to you, how often is your response, "I'll try."  We seem to be living in a world full of commitment-phobics who cannot make a plan on Monday for the following Saturday, and so they say, "I'll try."  We are surrounded by individuals who are reluctant to commit to doing something or following up on something, and so they say, "I'll try."  Are they waiting for a better invitation, or are they unwilling to do what is asked of them but are afraid to say that and so they say, "I'll try."

If you want to be successful and have strong relationships, then:

DON'T TRY - DO!!!

NOW OR LATER? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 114

I have learned this lesson very late in life, and I wish I had learned it when I was very young.  Instead of enjoying each day for itself, I used to always be looking forward and waiting for a future date.  You know those things we tell ourselves to justify postponing things we really want to do or need to do.  We say we will do it/them when we have enough money, when the children are older, when life is not so busy, or when we have enough time.

By putting things off we often miss opportunities, damage friendships, wait to repair relationships until it is too late, and prevent ourselves from knowing the joy that each day can bring.  We postpone our joy until some future date, and because life is fragile we truly never know if we will be around when that future date arrives.

Today's message is:

ENJOY THIS NOW!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 100

At times I have thought if an award were to be given to the world's greatest procrastinator that surely I would be the recipient.  What about you?  Do you procrastinate?  People wait to do things to be sure the timing is right and to not be impetuous.  People wait to do things until their children are older, until they have enough money, until they have worked up their courage to begin, or because they are lazy.  I can tell you from experience that in most cases putting things off is rarely a good idea.

The sooner you start the sooner you will have results.  Today's message is:

GO AND DO IT!

HOW FAST ARE YOU TRYING TO GO? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 79

Are you an impatient type?  When you were a child were you always anxiously awaiting the first day of school, the first day of summer vacation, your birthday, Halloween, Hanukkah, or Christmas?  I was like that when I was growing up and even after I had children of my own.  Then something happened in my life which caused me to be so anxious about what might happen in the future that I found I was making myself physically sick with anxiety.

Friends and even my family doctor gave me all sorts of advice and helpful quotes trying to lessen my anxiety about the future.  The two which I found most helpful were:

Don't worry about the morrow as today has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34

Life is going to come only one day at a time so learn to take it that way; remember that much if not most of what you worry about will never happen.

Today's message is:

DAY BY DAY

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE-OFF STYLE? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 76

Have you set your sights on something you want to have, something you want to do, or something you want to achieve?  Have you done all the preparation that you yourself can do?  Is it time to go for it?  Are you dragging your heels waiting for something to happen?  Are you afraid to get started?

Believe in yourself.  Believe in your dreams.  Believe in the future.  Stop waiting and get going.  No walking or running for you.

Today's message is:

TAKE OFF FLYING!

Is Patience Really A Virtue?

Patience is not always a virtue! There, I've said it. I am not referring to having patience with children, the elderly, friends, and family which is de rigeur. I am referring to having patience with people who waste our time by having no respect for it. For example, it seems to me that we spend more and more time waiting for people whom WE are paying to serve us (or we are paying the insurance premiums or the taxes which pay them). We are their clients, their patients, their customers; and yet they behave as if our time is not as valuable as their time. I am talking about doctors and dentists whose schedules are so overbooked that appointment times mean nothing. We make appointments, we arrive on time, and then we wait..........and we wait..........and we wait. If we kept them waiting they would just tell us we missed our appointment (and they would charge us for it because we didn't cancel it). I am also talking about service technicians, tradespeople, and anyone we ask to come to our homes to provide their service or to repair whatever is broken. We usually are told a day they will come, and if we are lucky perhaps they will give us a four-hour window of time during which we might expect to see them. For many people, four hours means one-half of a normal work day which in some cases can mean paychecks being docked accordingly in order to stay home and wait and wait and wait. They surely would not wait for us if we were late getting home to let them in sometime during that "window" of time. They would leave and feel justified in charging for a service call. In many cases, we are charged for their driving time to get to our homes in addition to a service call fee plus the time, labor and parts fees. I am writing this today because I am sick and tired of being kept waiting and being charged for it. Being on time is part of good customer service, and it is arrogant on the part of business people and professionals who habitually keep patients and clients waiting. Everyone can have an emergency occasionally but not daily. Keeping people waiting is disrespectful of them, their time, and their patronage. I used to have a personal rule that I would wait no longer than 15 minutes for anyone with whom I had made a specific appointment. I also would not wait longer than 15 minutes for anyone who made an appointment to meet with me because to do so meant that everyone else for the rest of the day would be kept waiting by me. In today's world my personal rules would mean not getting the health or dental care needed because waiting is required it seems. Bringing up children to be punctual and to be respectful of other people's time is a good thing. There, of course, can and will be times of exception due to circumstances beyond their control but the operative word is exception. Do the world a favor and instill good habits in your children, and if you are a person who keeps others waiting please turn over a new leaf and keep appointments on time. In these tight economic times business people and professionals should value their paying customers more than ever, and not wasting their time is the best way to show that appreciation. All comments are welcome whether you agree or disagree.