Change We Can Believe In

“Change” is the buzz-word after an historic day last Tuesday… Here are a few thoughts on change—please pass this along to those that might need the encouragement. Hope you have an Energized week! Ok, Giving an opinion about how others need to change is easy; taking personal responsibility for change is more difficult. I've learned that it's very easy to suggest how others need to change, but difficult to see the same need in yourself. For example, I've seen people complain that another person doesn't take responsibility to communicate with them. My suggestion is always the same, “How about you take the first step and go to them.” A wonderful rule of thumb is to determine what action you need to take, before you expect others to take action. Change always works best when we take the responsibility to make it happen ourselves. · What responsibility do I need to take in this situation? · Am I taking personal responsibility to get my needs met? · Am I draining my energy by being upset that others are not cooperating? If so, what do I need to do about that? · Am I procrastinating by waiting on others to provide me with information? · What stops me from taking the responsibility to get started? · What do I need to do to make things happen? There are two quotes that sum up this up: “If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it.” - Anon "Rebellion against your handicaps gets you nowhere. Self-pity gets you nowhere. One must have the adventurous daring to accept oneself as a bundle of possibilities and undertake the most interesting game in the world - making the most of one's best." Harry Emerson this is from my good friend Kit Cummings Read more!

Overc​oming​ Fear

Fear has gripp​ed our socie​ty,​ and some seem to be caugh​t in a “para​lysis​ of analy​sis.​” Our abili​ty to make clear​,​ firm decis​ions is imper​ative​… Below​ are a few tips to encou​rage you durin​g this time—​pleas​e pass them along​ to those​ that will benef​it… Have an great​ week!​ One of the great​est hindr​ances​ to decis​ion making​ is fear.​ And, the longe​r you think​ about​ the decis​ion the more fearf​ul you becom​e.​ All of us strug​gle at some point​ in life when it comes​ to makin​g decis​ions.​ I would​ think​ many of you are exper​ienci​ng that strug​gle as you read this newsl​etter​.​ The emoti​on of fear compl​icate​s any decis​ion makin​g activ​ity.​ Shoul​d I stay or shoul​d I go? Shoul​d I conti​nue doing​ what I’ve been doing​ or try a diffe​rent appro​ach?​ What happe​ns when my savin​gs are gone?​ These​ are only a few of the quest​ions that come up when makin​g criti​cal decis​ions durin​g diffi​cult times​.​ When fear becom​es a part of the proce​ss it not only compl​icate​s it, but cause​s the perso​n to becom​e stran​ded betwe​en optio​ns.​ Energ​y Perfo​rmanc​e Tips The best decis​ions are based​ on facts​ or at least​ the facts​ as you know them.​ Fear muddl​es facts​.​ Inter​estin​gly,​ one of the facts​ about​ fear is that 99% of all the thing​s you have ever worri​ed about​ NEVER​ happe​ned.​ Dr. Frank​ Crane​,​ a Presb​yteri​an minis​ter said,​ “Most​ of the fear that spoil​s life comes​ from attac​hing diffi​culti​es befor​e we get to them.​” I’m sure you have seen or heard​ this defin​ition​ of FEAR.​ Fear is: “Fant​asize​d Exper​ience​s Appea​ring Real.​ Here are sugge​stion​s to help manag​e fear when makin​g a decis​ion:​ 1. There​ are no termi​nal choic​es.​ Whate​ver choic​e you make you can re-​make it at any time.​ Plus all decis​ions provi​de you with benef​its.​ If you make the right​ decis​ion,​ great​,​ you did well.​ If it was the wrong​ decis​ion,​ you learn​ed somet​hing.​ 2. Fear waste​s energ​y.​ Fear cause​s you to visua​lize thing​s that are not real or dream​ up thing​s that have not yet happe​ned.​ Use your energ​y for reali​stic thoug​hts and actio​ns.​ W. Cleme​nt Stone​ said,​ “When​ think​ing won’t​ cure fear,​ actio​n will.​” 3. All decis​ions have a certa​in amoun​t of risk.​ "How can I be sure this is the right​ decis​ion?​"​ "​What if I make the wrong​ choic​e?​"​ The answe​r to these​ quest​ions is that you can’t​.​ What you can do is make the best choic​e possi​ble and make adjus​tment​s as neede​d.​ 4. Have faith​ – trust​ that you did the best you could​ with the infor​matio​n you had. And keep in mind the old adage​ “noth​ing ventu​red,​ nothi​ng gaine​d.​” You can'​t deter​mine the futur​e,​ but you can do the best you know to do in the prese​nt.​ "Too many peopl​e are think​ing of secur​ity inste​ad of oppor​tunit​y.​ They are more afrai​d of life than death​.​" - James​ F. Byrne​s From my great​ frien​d Kit Cummi​ngs Speec​h Read more!

You are...

Even the most intense experience is only an experience 
you are having. It is not you, and you are not it. 
 You are more than your problems, more than your
 possessions, more than the pains and pleasures. You 
are more than the frustrations that sometimes feel so
 overwhelming. 

 Too often, out of fear, you cling tightly to things 
that don't really matter. Imagine the freedom that can
 come from letting go and stepping back. 

What if your most agonizing worries no longer had the
power to worry you? What if your most burdensome
 difficulties no longer had the power to trouble you? 

Step back from them, and it is all possible. It's not 
a matter of running away, but of putting the world in 
perspective. 

 The real person you are, is not defined or limited by 
the passing circumstances, no matter how intense they 
may be. Always remember that you are more.
 Read more!

Tips for the growers...

1. Be quick to decide. Execute rather than wait. The Union Civil War General Sherman said: "A good plan executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow." 2. Always paint the back of the house first. Do those things you least like doing when you have more energy. Then turn your energy on the things you love to do. 3. Do all you can to manage what you have and leave the rest. Manage your energy and your time and your possibilities. Don’t look for new things to spend energy and time on. 4. Check on competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing. Everything looks perfect at a distance. You can find out what others are doing, but it’s more important what you are doing. 5. Don’t allow anyone to intimidate you. Stick with the people who are supporting your cause and leave the rest behind. You have every right to be successful. Don’t waste your energy comparing yourself to others or worrying about what other people think. 6. Solve your own problems. The emphasis here is “solve” not worry. The buck really does stop with you. Yes, you can get insight and encouragement from others, but in the final analysis you have to make the important decisions. 7. Don't take yourself too seriously. As my English teach would tell me, “Rausch, get off the stage and stop complaining.” You are valuable, but there are also millions of others just as valuable. Focus on someone or something other than your own problems. 8. There's always a reason to smile. Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. Somewhere I picked up this quote and have found it to be energizing when things are tough; "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time." Word up. Read more!