Isn't it time to just do it?

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They say that hindsight is 20/20.  Others feel as though it's better to simply fly by the seat of your pants.  There's even a train of thought that says if it isn't broken don't fix it.  Now I'm not saying that neither of these options shouldn't be an option.  What I want you to think about today is that little thing called instinct and why it might not be such a bad idea to follow it from time to time.

There are countless people out there who have big dreams, sadly many of them never seem to go after them.  Many people will fail the first time and for some they simply give up, while others try and try again.  My suggestion to those who have dreams is to simply go after them.  My words of encouragement are just do it!  You can wait, and wait, and wait until the cows come home, but that is never going to get you to the place you really, really want to be.

I've decided to take a leap of faith in regards to my husband's and my relocation to Texas.  I've been thinking about the move for over a year and I finally got to the point where I just needed to put things into action and boldly believe in the Universe's plan for me.  Certainly there have been a few sleepless nights, I am human after all, but I am confident that this move is the right move, at the right time.  I needed to be reminded that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, and so I set out on my journey.  If you are currently waiting for the green light to do something you have always dreamt about, maybe it's time that you begin your journey of a thousand miles.

I've always said to follow your heart.  Our minds may play with us from time to time, but that's because of the ego.  The heart however is incapable of lying to you.  When we talk about instinct we are talking about listening to your heart.  When we talk about instinct we are saying that come hell or high-water we are going to go after those things that mean the most to us.  When we talk about instinct we are surrendering our will to the will of the Universe.  Trust me, the Universe wants what is best for you, and what is best for you is going after those things that were meant for you since the beginning of time.

I know that fear can grip people at times.  I'll be the first to admit that I have faced fear in the past and there have been times when I went running like a scarred little child.  The first step in eradicating fear is to realize that you have the power over fear.  Fear is nothing more then letting the unknown run amok in your mind.  There are times when we may face situations where fear is very present, when we know it's time to flee.  Truth be told, had you listened to your heart you probably would never have been in the place you weren't suppose to be.  I won't go deeper with that one, at least for the moment.  Maybe I'll write more about that at a later date, but I digress.  What I really want you to understand is that fear is never going to be on your side, and fear is only interested in getting you side tracked from doing what you were created to do.

Before I wrote my first book I was ready to throw it all away.  I had struggled and struggled for what seemed like a lifetime.  I was always that guy who was a day late and a dollar short.  I would be in bed at night just hoping that I wouldn't wake up the next morning.  Hopelessness was a constant in my life.  Through it all I just knew there was something I was supposed to do.  I had come from a job that paid me ridiculous money, but even with tons of money I was empty inside.  I got to the point where I had to loose everything.  I had to discover who the real Scott was.  I took six months to just be alone.  If I talked to four people over that six month period that was a lot. I slowly began to realize who and what I was.  When I finally decided it was time to begin to write, well let's just say that the flood gates were opened.  My world changed when I decided to finally take action, when I finally decided to just do it.

There's a reason you have dreams.  There's a reason why you can't let go of certain things.  There's a reason you think the way you do.  I'm telling you as sure as you're sitting here ready this, dreams are stepping stones to your destiny, and your destiny is why you are here.  I guess what I want to know is this: is walking in your destiny important to you?  Is doing that one thing that will completely fulfill you worth you taking the first step?  Are you sick and tired of always feeling like you are a day late and a dollar short?  My dear friends, destiny is a part of everyone.  How much better would one's life be if they were doing only what they loved doing, and having the opportunity to do it every single day of their life?

There are so many things that I still want to do in this life.  There are things that need to be done, and they need to be done by me.  You are no different then me.  Why don't you finally admit that there are things that you need to do.  It is time to put on your big girl and big boy pants and do what you know you should be doing.  There will be those around you who will think you have gone nuts, but that's OK.  They have no plans to go after their own dreams anyway.  There is a freedom that comes with taking the first few steps of your journey of a thousand miles.  Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, it is time to follow your heart and step out into the big world that we call destiny.  It's a wonderful place, and it's a place that you need to be in.  Just do it my loved ones, simply do it.

It's a big world out there, and about to get bigger.

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When you think of the significance of your true essence, what comes to mind first?  When you think about all the things that are going on around you, what part you might be playing in those things, what do you think about?  When you look up into the star lit night, how do you see yourself fitting in, and more importantly, how big do you see yourself?

I ask these questions today because we tend not to give ourselves enough credit when it comes to understanding our own significance and just how important we are to the rest of the universe.  Now many will never put universe and self into the same sentence, but that is their first mistake.  I've been fortunate enough over the last few weeks to have had some very deep conversations with people I hardly know.  It seems that no matter where I go, or what I am doing the conversations that I have ultimately end up being about destiny and discovering your purpose for this life.  During one of the most recent conversations I had an epiphany.  I hit me like a ton of bricks and it opened my eyes to seeing a few things just a tad bit different then I had in the past.  I'm not quite sure why getting this revelation took so long in my life, but I am confident that it came at the perfect time, and it came for the perfect reason.  Are you ready to hear what I finally figured out?  You sure?  OK, here it is:  I am vital to the perfection of the Universe.  I am key to the perfection of the Universe.  I am a huge part of the Universe.  Here's the bigger news my friends, you are just as vital, just as key, and just a big a part as I am.  We fit perfectly together like pieces in a puzzle.  Problem with most people is they see themselves as insignificant, and once you feel that way it's always an uphill battle.

Our world is getting bigger because many of it's inhabitants are getting bigger.  We are growing with a knowledge of just who and what we are, and we are finally beginning to function the way we were always intended to function.  It is time to spread the word about destiny, about who and what we really are.  So many people are lamenting about the troubled times we live in.  We live in a county that is completely polarized.  The left hates the right.  The right doesn't understand the left.  People are beginning to take their ball and going home because they don't agree with others.  I have to be honest and say that all of this is pathetic.  Wars have been started over ego.  Struggles begin when someone else has something we want and they won't let us have a part of it.  If it's not one thing, it's another, and before you know it, bam, conflict, hate, and misunderstanding is looking right at you in the face.  We have got to get off this merry-go-round and stop the madness.  The only way we are going to make strides is if we start relating to others on a deeper level and not just about what we see on thirty second sound bites on the nightly news coverage.  The time has come for our world to grown, but grow in knowledge about who we are, about what we are.

I am about to embark on a new adventure.  I am eager to start, and I look at the future with much anticipation and excitement.  I have more dreams about the future, and I am looking at how I can accomplish those dreams.  Maybe it's time that each of you consider a new adventure.  Maybe it's time that you brought a little excitement and anticipation into your world.  Maybe, just maybe, it's time that you finally admitted that you have dreams and you really, really, really, want to go after them.  I have so many things that I want to accomplish and the toughest part is trying to narrow down what I should do first.  Ladies and Gentlemen hear me when I say this:  now is not the time to simply glide into non-existence.  Now is the time to pick up all the broken pieces and put things back together again and do what it is you were always supposed to do.  Don't worry about lost time, there's no such thing as lost time.  Time is something we have used as an excuse for far too long.  You are here right now because the time to do something is right now.  You are here right now because the Universe put you here right now.  You are here right now because only you can do what you were created to do.

I know the next year is going to be fun and exciting as My husband and I move down to Texas.  I have wanted to be around family for a long time, but my desire for family time is only a small reason for our move.  I know that my next chapter is being written right now, and I know that things are moving for the next phase of my journey.  If you are sitting back wondering what your next step should be, or even if there should be a next step, let me remind you of one thing:  the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.  If you want to stay eternally young, then don't stop dreaming, don't stop going after your goals.  I wrote last week that once you have reached a milestone, keep reaching.  There are always things that need to be, because there will always be people who need what you have.

The world is getting bigger because each of us are getting bigger.  We grow with more knowledge of our great abilities and with a knowing that we aren't just mere mortals.  I reach for the stars and I touch a part of the cosmos that I never touched before.  My dear friends the time has come that we engage in what others might call crazy.  The time has come to finally accept our true nature and release the unlimited potential that each of us have.  The time has come to be a vital part of the ever expanding universe and accept a seat at the table of greatness and uniqueness.  It's a big world out there and thank god it's getting bigger each and every day.

When you reach the top, keep reaching.

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Will you ever been done with your journey?  Do you want to be done with the journey?  When you reach the top is there anywhere else to go or climb?  Is there ever a time when we will have done everything and there is nothing left to conquer?  There are some people who will tell you that they have done everything they were supposed to do in life.  I don't doubt that they may have accomplished a lot, but done with everything?  I doubt it.  I don't say that because I want them to feel like a failure, I say that because if you are still alive, then there is obviously something more for you to do.

I think that most people would agree that climbing Mount Everest is a pretty tough undertaking, and if you have what it takes to make this journey then my hat is off to you.  If you are one of, or know of one who has climbed the highest peak in the world, is there really anything left to conquer after that?  Some would say that you have done the impossible, but as I like to remind people, nothing is impossible.  That being said, what do you do after you have tamed the most dangerous climb in the world?  What could you possibly do that would be more impressive or more life altering?  If you reach the top of any successful endeavor was it anti-climactic?  I mean if you have just done the impossible what could possibly be more impressive?  Is there even a need to keep reaching?

My answer to the "keep reaching" is yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and more yes.  Each step of success, or even failure, gets us one step closer to our destiny.  Each time we navigate our life and those moments in our life when we finish a task, we are one step closer to our destiny.  Too many people end their journey before it's really begun.  Simply because you have achieved a modicum of success doesn't mean that there is nothing left to do.  Once again, if you are still upright and breathing, there are other things that you need to tend to.  I think of so many people who have accomplished great things, but it's what they did after they accomplished great things that really has helped redesigned this world.  Look at Neal Armstrong who walked on the moon.  Now the average person would think that there was not much more he could have done, but think of the lives that were touched by this man who took one small step for man, but one giant leap for mankind.  How many lives were touched by this man after he returned to this planet?  There are people on top of people who have continued to touch the lives of others after they have accomplished great marvels.

Most of the things we do in life are nothing more then stages of life.  We have to finish one stage before we can move on to the next.  Each stage represents a building block, a stepping stone, to even greater things.  Those greater things are what will keep another moving in the right direction.  Heck if so and so can do such I thing, then so can I.  Seeing others achieve great things motivates most people to try great things.  Sure there's always the chance of failure, but show me one super successful person who hasn't experienced their share of failure.  Babe Ruth who was once the home run king struck out many more times then he hit a homer.  I dare say that Jack Nicholas has had just as many poor shots as he has had outstanding shots.  No one is going to hit the bulls eye every time, but if you never aim and fire, then you can pretty well count on not hitting anything.

So why do I think it's important to keep reaching?  When you stop dreaming you stop living.  When you stop dreaming you begin to die slowly.  When you stop dreaming you are saying that life has ceased to have meaning.  We dream because we are alive.  We have dreams because you were designed to do more.  We have dreams because what we do today is going to affect others in the future.  What you dream today is going to have a ripple effect, and those dreams are what others are going to need to be catapulted toward their destiny.  No man/women is a island unto him/herself.  When you do something it will always have an effect on others.

I know how tiring life can be at times.  I get the struggles that most of us have had throughout our lives.  I totally understand when some people will just want to throw up their hands and give up.  Don't do it.  Don't give in to those around you who keep telling you that it's just not worth it.  Trust me, going after your dreams is always going to be worth it.  There is a quote I remember that I read for the first time in 1978 as I was flying to my first duty station in England.  I have no idea why I have always remembered this, but I have, and I believe it as much today as I did back then.  "I would rather attempt something great and fail, then attempt nothing at all and succeed."  I honestly can't remember who said this, or whether to person got it from someone else, I guess it doesn't really matter.  What matters is that you try, and don't worry about the outcome.  Success is laced with failures, and some of biggest successes have come from the biggest failures.

Yes Everest is formidable.  Yes there will be things laid in front of you that may seem impossible to accomplish.  You however are equipped to handle any situation.  Outcomes may never be exactly how you thought of them, but they will be the outcomes that need to be.  Trust in the perfection of the Universe.  Trust that you will fulfill your destiny.  Trust that others will benefit from you not stopping when you reached the top, but rather decided to go even farther.

It's the little things that mean the most!!

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How I would love for someone to hand me One Hundred Million Dollars.  I'd love it if someone would buy and furnish the house of my dreams for me.  I'd even be OK with someone taking me on an all expense paid first class three week vacation.  If you're like me, I would think that if someone did any of these three things it would bring a smile to your face.  What are the odds of any of these three things happening?  I guess the depends on the universe.  What I'd equally enjoy receiving is a smile from someone who wants nothing in return but a smile from me.  What I'd love to receive is an acknowledgment that I have touched someone else's life with what I have written in the past, or what I might write in the future.   My friends it's not always about the size of the gift, but the motivation behind giving the gift.  A random act of kindness is so special because the average person is not looking for payback, or even a thank you.  They are just trying to touch another life and put some love into the one whom the gift is given.

When push comes to shove I'd like to believe that most people would agree with me that it's the little things that mean the very most.  How's this for an observation:  those who only want big and grandiose things are the very same people who have never even offered a smile to someone else.  I've always said that you can't possibly totally love someone else if you don't love yourself.  Well the same is true about how you look at giving and getting.  If you have never been a giver then how in the world can you expect others to give to you?  If you are not prone to giving to others then most likely you have the mentality that others owe you something or the world owes you something.  Let's be honest, the world doesn't owe you anything.  I know that may sound harsh but let's cut through the B.S and call a spade a spade.

I often wonder what motivates others to do the things they do.  Are they being kind because they want something in return?  Do people extend the hand of friendship because they perceive that there is something in it for them?  If your expectation is always getting in return I think you will find that you are going to be disappointment more often then not.  I absolutely love doing for others.  Not because it is going to pay off dividends, but because others are in need of what I offer.  Giving is not just giving objects, giving is putting others ahead of yourself.  What happens when you are at the market and you only have one or two items and someone is kind enough to let you go in front of them in the line?  I always speak a blessing over them as a thank you and I let the universe know that the simple act of kindness was greatly appreciated and I want the universe to respond in kind to that person that acted so kindly.

People who know me know that I truly believe that even the smallest act of kindness is going to effect someone half the world away twenty years from now.  I've heard and read stories of people who were ready to cash it all in, and would have, had it not been for the kindness of someone else.  I know how difficult it is to give when everything around you seems ready to blow up.  We've all had struggles and we've all had set-backs in life.  How great would it have been had someone been around just to whisper in your ear that everything was going to work out?  I've been at the end of my rope and all I wanted was someone to throw me a life line.  Now life lines can take many forms, but no matter what form it takes, wouldn't it be nice to know that one will be there when you need it?

Let me challenge you for just a minute.  I'm not sure what place you may find yourself in at the moment, but I think that there is probably a few of you that may be facing a challenge right now.  Why not open up your spirit and set the expectation that something good is coming your way.  Now it may be something as small as a smile, but if you can receive that smile and be happy about it, then you are setting yourself up to receive even bigger things from the universe.  Remember, light begets like, love begets love, and so on and so on.  You have to be grateful for the little things before the big things can come to you.  I love when someone shares love with me, and I love giving back to them as well.  The old adage is that which goes around comes around.  If you can not give freely what right do you have to expect anything in return.

You don't have to be a millionaire to bless others.  If you think that the size of the gift matters then you have missed the boat.  If there is a millionaire who want to bless me, I won't say no.  If on the other hand I am only looking at millionaires to meet my needs then I have some learning to do.  I know that there are times when everything appears to be going in the wrong direction, but even in those times you can find joy in something.  It only takes a spark to start a fire, but sadly there are those who would turn down a spark because they are waiting for a match.  Stop trying to figure out the universe and find it in yourself to be content with where you are.  Things will change, but they will change a whole lot faster if you can be grateful for the little things in life.

Share your love with others.  Share your smile with others.  Step out into the world and be a light that shines bright.  If you give freely of yourself I think you will find that things change for you, and most of the time that change is favorable.  If you will give a little, you will gain a lot.  It's the little things that mean the most, and if you will share those little nuggets of kindness with others, then trust me, nuggets of gold will begin to follow you.

How to make a great life even better.

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Let's face it, we always have a choice.  We always have the ability to choose right from wrong.  We always have the right to choose light and not darkness.  Most importantly, we always have the ability to make a great life even better.  The question you need to ask yourself is what side of the equation are you going to be on?

It's doubtful that every person on the earth is lost, and with no direction.  There are millions of people who are doing what they were always intended to do.  That being said, even those who seemingly have it all could change things up a bit to make things even better.  I guess there are those who are wondering why someone who has it all could possible need more.  We need more because we need to give it away.  I'm not talking about money or processions.  I'm talking about the goodness of life and the need to spread that goodness to those around us.  Let's face it, there are people all around us who need a little hope, a little love, and a chance to prove that life is really worth living.  What's the purpose of "having it all"?  Is making millions, if not billions of dollars, the sole purpose of living?  I think the more you have the more you should give away.  Now I'm not talking about a redistribution of wealth.  What I'm talking about is giving away those things that are going to help others achieve their dreams and desires.  Giving away a smile to someone doesn't cost anything, but it sure could change a life.  Passing on your good energy doesn't cost you anything, but it sure could change a life. Sharing your stories with others doesn't cost anything, but it should could motivate others to finally try something for the first time.  The only way to make your great life better is to help others make their life better.

Let's be honest, there are people out in the world today who want nothing more then to roll around in hate and discontent.  It wouldn't matter if you offered them pure bliss on a silver platter they would find a reason to walk away from it.  Where does this stem from?  Most people who doubt the goodness of life have never seen said goodness displayed around them.  All they have ever know is lack, frustration, and anxiety.  These are the people who need what you have, and these are the people who will be presented to you each and every day.  The question you need to answer is will you rise to the occasion and give what you have to give?  If you are endeavoring to make your life better, then start by helping someone else make their life better.

There have been times in my life where all I wanted was someone to love me.  There have been times in my life when all I wanted was for someone to tell me it was going to be OK.  There have been times in my life when all I wanted was for someone to encourage me and not let me forget the hope that I had long since lost.  Have you ever been so low and so down that you didn't know what to do next.? What would you have given to have some person reach out to you and simply share a caring smile or a loving embrace?  Being there for others is the least we can do.  Once again what good is having it all if your only intent is to keep it for yourself?  You and you alone are the determining factor in whether or not you are going to share the best you have.

I've often wondered what I would do if all of a sudden money was not an issue.  What would I do if I had unlimited funds?  How you answer this question is going to tell me where your heart is.  I will tell you, and those that know me will testify to this statement:  money does not motivate me.  What motivates me is touching lives and helping others achieve their dreams and walk in their destiny.  I see money as a tool to help others.  I see money as a tool to teach and inspire.  Trust me, if you have always been handed everything in life can you really appreciate things?  I'm not saying you have to be dirt poor in order to appreciate the nice side of life.  I'm saying that you need to appreciate your life before you can appreciate other things.  If you're not good enough without millions of dollars, you are still not going to be good enough if you have that kind of money.

Sadly there are so many people around today who haven't a clue as to what is really important.  You can focus on the material, but you will most likely miss out on the eternal.  When I put someone ahead of me, and focus on helping them, I release goodness back to me in a measure that I will never be able to measure.  When I put other's needs ahead of my own I am making a deposit into my future that will only pay off dividends.  When is the last time you saw a selfish person who was content with what they had?  When you only focus on you, you are allowing your ego to rule the day, and ultimately you will rue the day that this happens.  My dear friends making life better is a two way street.  When you help others you can rest assured that somewhere down the road, in a different time there will be someone there to help you.

When I was a Senior in High School I was honored to give the welcoming address to those in attendance at my graduation.  Even back then I had a sense of what lied ahead for me, but to be honest didn't have a full grasp of the situation.  There was a line I used from the Wizard of Oz.  I'm not quite sure why it resonates with me, but it did then and it still does today.  I guess in my own way I always knew I wanted to inspire others.  The line comes from the Wizard who has just given the Tin man a token of love and appreciation.  "A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."  The true measure of a person is how they perceive themselves and what they are willing to do for others, even when there is nothing coming back to them.  If you want to make life better for you, then make life better for someone else, even if it is a very small way.

When we finally grow up and realize that what we do for others is really doing for yourself, then and only them will we complete the circle.  If all you focus on is what's in it for me, I promise you that you will never be able to have enough and you will strive for more and more and forget what is ultimately the most important thing in life.  My friends give freely, and watch as the universe opens up blessings to you that will amaze you and quite frankly will take your breath away.  Your attitude about others is what will make or break you.  Your attitude about what is important in life is what will make or break you.  Your attitude will speak volumes about what you hold most dear.  Make your life better by helping others make their life better.  Trust me, it's worth it.