Thursday, January 23, 2014

To error is human, to forgive, well that just isn't everyone's policy, now is it?

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Forgiveness, it's a hard concept sometimes, but one that needs to be conquered or down the road things will come up that will send you into a tailspin and there will be very little you can do about it.  When we think of forgiveness we often conger up thoughts of someone having done something to us and now we have to decide what to do.  Do you let it slide and move on?  Do you attempt to take your pound of flesh as retribution?  Do you bury your anger deep inside only to have it come out in the future at the most inopportune time?  Each of these scenarios play out daily in our lives, but the questions that must be asked are: who are you angry at and more importantly why are you angry?

I have a belief that it is sometimes easier to forgive someone else verses forgiving ourselves.  We have all done or said things in the past that we wish we could take back and do over.  I can't think of a single person today that is immune to this, but the thing that amazes me the most is when I see someone who is unable or at times unwilling to forgive themselves for things that may or may not have happened in their life.  We have lots of control over the things we do in our life, but we have very little control over what others may do to us.

It is in this vein that I want to talk to you today and it is my hope that you will walk away with a new lease on life and maybe for the first time lay to rest the unforgiveness you have shown toward yourself.  First and foremost: no one is perfect.  We may be perfect in our design as human beings, since the Creator of the Universe is incapable of making anything that is not perfect.  However, that perfection in our design does not always translate to the perfection that many want in their own life both in actions and deeds, and herein lies the problem.  We need to realize that mistakes will be made, whether intentional or not, and we need to be able to accept this fact. Face it, there are many things that are out of our control.  For example: you have scheduled an outdoor wedding for the summer months and on the day of this wonderful event the rain she comes.  Now you had no idea it would rain when you scheduled this event twelve months ago, but low and behold it is raining and the first thing that comes to mind is how stupid to think it would work out and you must have done something to bring this on.  Yea sure, you have the power to move weather patterns and now since it is raining you have to accept the fact that you failed and brought this on yourself. OK, time to get off your high horse and stop giving yourself credit for something you had zero influence on.

Each of us can share responsibility for things that we can control and do mess up, why add insult to injury by accepting responsibility for things you have zero control over?  Stop being a martyr and realize that things happen for a reason and why cry over spilled milk.  There are so many people in the world today who are playing the victim card.  Now just in case you think me heartless, I know that there are bad things that happen to good people.  Conversely, I also know that there are good things that happen to really bad people, and this gets others to wonder why they never get to see good things on their doorstep and this looser of an individual seems to have the Midas touch.  Let it go people and realize that you can't change what others are destined for.

I walked around for years not able to forgive myself for things that happened years ago.  Why didn't I do this when I had the chance?  Why couldn't I see that before the world came crashing down around me?  Why am I the only one who seems to be going without?  Why? Why? Why?  After a bit we all seem to sound like a broken record, but that's OK, as long as you finally realize that it is time to put an end to this nonsense.  We cannot change what happened yesterday, and we certainly have no idea what is going to transpire tomorrow, so do yourself a favor and live in the "Today".  Unforgiveness for past failures is nothing more than a noose around your neck and sooner or later you will hang yourself with it.  Let it go and move past it.  I'm not saying it is going to be easy, but what is the alternative?

If you truly believe that those things we go through are things that are put in our path to teach us something, whether it be good or bad, then what right do you have to question the perfection of the Creator of the Universe simply because it may not have worked out the way you wanted it to work out?  I have said this before that there is nothing that I would change in my life up to this point because it has taught me so many lessons and without those tough lessons I would not be the person I am today. If you can look at things as learning opportunities then you can never hold them against yourself and therefore there never has to be unforgiveness in your life again.

It is time to forgive yourself for your past and walk into the present.  If you cannot be in the present then you will never have to worry about what is going to come tomorrow, and quite frankly I can't wait for tomorrow to get here because I get to do things again and more often than not the good things I get to do are very very good.


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

When is enough, enough?

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I think most everyone alive today, and many who have already passed on to another plane, will, or would have told   you that they have been at the end of their rope, and didn't have a clue what to do next.  Some of these situations may have been monumental while others may have been just a bump along the road to life.  No matter what you have faced, or will face in the future, there is one inevitable truth:  those who keep moving forward, will never be stopped in their tracks.  

Situations that we face have a way of bringing to a head those things that we hold most dear.  Often we are not aware of how important things are to us until we are faced with not having them any longer and then there is nothing you would not give to have them back in your life. The question I have for you this day is this:  if things are that important to you, why are you not doing everything in your power to keep them with you?  Now there is no right or wrong answer to this question because each of you will have different observations and ideas of how to handle things when they come up.

For me, my quest to walk in my destiny is not based on the amount of money I can make, or the legacy that I might leave behind when I finally leave these earthly bounds.  My destiny is to help others discover what it is that they were created to be or do, without regard to what is in it for me.  I see so many people who are motivated by what they can get out of something.  Now I am not here to tell you that making lots of money or enjoying great success is a bad thing.  What I want you to ask yourself is why are you doing what you are doing, and what is it that you are hoping to get out of all this activity?  I guess I have come to a point in my life where I am more interested in what I can do for others verses what I can get out of it for myself.  Now not everyone will get to this point, and I dare say that very few people will look at it this way, it doesn't make it right or wrong, it is just how it is.  What do you want to succeed at?  What is important to you?  What are you willing to do to see that you get all out of life what you are hoping for?  If you are unable to answer these questions then you will never have to worry about getting there, because you will never have gotten out of the starting gate.

There is a reason people are given talents and gifts.  What someone does with those gifts and talents is totally dependent on the one who processes them.  If you feel, as many do, that the most important thing in life is building an empire as a monument to your success, then I will tell you that there will never be a time when you have truly walked in your destiny.  Sure you may have a ton of money and prestige, but in the end, will that be enough?  For those whose motivation is to continue to obtain money and stuff, just to have it,  then sadly my guess is that enough will never be enough.  If on the other hand your motivation is to enable others to obtain the peace that can only come when they are walking in their destiny, then I think that enough will be enough and you will find ways to give most of it away.

Over the next few weeks I would like to take you on a journey of discovery.  This journey may not be without its ups and downs, bumps and bruises, but it will be one that will ultimately lead you to a place where you will decide that you never want to leave it again.  This place of peace is knowing that you are on the right path and this path is one that was destined for you from the beginning of time.  Ask yourself this question: are you truly happy with your place in life right now or is there something you want to change?  If you are happy and would change nothing then I encourage you to help others get to this same point.  If on the other hand you know there has to be more to life then what you are experiencing right now, then take this journey with me.  I know what it is like to want more out of life and yet you are not quite sure how to get to this place.  I know what it is like to want something so bad and yet it seems to be just out of your reach.  You now have an advocate and my destiny is to help you become the person you were always destined to be, doing those things that will truly complete you.  It is a great time to take the first step on your journey and together we will unleash the potential that has always been in you and then success will follow you all the days of your life.






Monday, January 20, 2014

When the last trumpet sounds will you still be standing?

I like so many other New England Patriot Fans felt the agony of defeat this past weekend.  It really doesn't matter what kind of spin you put on it, the season is over, and it kind of sucks.  The question I have for each of you today is what goes on in your mind when you come face to face with the possibility of failure?  More importantly, what do you do when you are sitting right in the middle of a situation where you have no idea what to do, let alone how to get out of it? Do you pull out the white flag of surrender, or do you pull yourself up by the bootstraps and show the "never say die" attitude?

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="http://www.flickr.com/photos/uckhet/1897294089/">uckhet via href="http://photopin.com">photopin href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc

It is so easy to look at someone else's situation and find all the reasons why or how they can get out of their predicament, but when these situations are your own, well that seems to be a horse of a different color.  There is an old saying that says "that which does not kill us makes us stronger".  This is not something I want to hear especially when I am buried in worry or fear over a current situation that has calamity written all over it.  Here in lies the truth:  surrender should never be an option and know that there is always an alternative.  Let's be real, not easy to believe when you are in the middle of a mess, but truth is truth.

I have faced more downturns in my life then I would like to admit but at the end of the day I still know that the sun is going to be out shinning somewhere tomorrow and I'll have another opportunity to take another step toward my destiny.  There have been times when I have questioned my own sanity and wondered why in the world would I want to go through what I have gone through in the hopes that things would turn around for me and I would be able to enjoy life for once.  Hope and faith is all we have at times, but it is hope and faith that will get you through any ordeal, no matter how tough or impossible it may seem.

Each of us are on this planet for a reason, and there is something that you are supposed to do with the time you have.  Was it fate that put you here right now, or do you believe that there is a plan for your life and your task is to figure out what that plan is?  I would have to go with the latter and if that is the case then I would have to believe that what was destined from the beginning is what is going to show up sooner or later.  The key is to have that intestinal fortitude to say "I'm still standing" and "give it your best shot."  I love it when someone will tell me of the things they have come through because it gives me pause to think that if it can work for them then it can work for me.  Ladies and Gentlemen I am here to tell you, that if it can work for me then it will work for you.  Each of us has a strength of purpose, because each of us has a purpose for being here.  You might not know what that purpose is just yet, but that doesn't mean you don't have one.

Surround yourself with people who will speak truth to you and not just blow smoke up your skirt. Certainly there is the possibility that they will tell you something you don't want to hear, but it will be something that you need to hear.  In this journey we call life it is impossible to do everything by yourself, but then again, why would you want to?  When times get tough isn't it nice to know there is someone you can always count on?  If you don't have that someone then maybe it's because you haven't allowed them into your life yet.  Open the door and invite them in and see if the support and love they show to you does not change your life in a mighty and powerful way.

Never give up, never say never, and know that your best days are still to come.  If you need a hand let me know.  I am willing to help anyone who is searching for their destiny, because helping one discover their purpose in life is what I was created to do.  You can't do it alone, and now you have a partner if you want one.  John Wooden once said, "Don't give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give on you."  It is time to take the next step, and when you do, your journey will begin.

Friday, January 17, 2014

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

I was thinking about my post today and I wasn't quite sure what inspiration was going to come to me so I took some time to flip through my latest manuscript.  The title to my upcoming book is, The 40 Greatest Lessons of Life, and I want to share with you something, that when you can grasp it, will change your life forever.  Now this may seem like a bold statement, but boldness is something we all need and when you learn the fine art of personal boldness, you will unleash possibilities that you may have long thought lost.
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First and foremost:  Beauty is and will always be in the eye of the beholder.  My question to you this fine day is how do you see yourself when you look in the mirror?  What is reflected back at you when you see yourself?  When I speak of beauty I am not talking about the surface beauty that we have, but rather the inner beauty that will last forever without regard to the normal aging process we all go through nor the seemingly droopy effect that gravity has on our physical bodies.

If you are forever looking for validation from others you are going to find yourself on the loosing end of the battle because people for the most part are more interested in themselves then they are interested in you.  Now I am not saying that there will never be someone in your life that will be there to help you out, speak life to you, and be there to pick you up when you fall down and go "boom".  What I am saying is that you need to be your greatest supporter and in that support you need to know who you are, what you are, and gain an acceptance of the calling on your life.  There is a major point I make in my book and I would be remiss if I didn't bring it to light at this moment.  If you cannot see the inner beauty in you, then it really doesn't matter what is reflected back to you in the mirror.  If you cannot see that you have a purpose and you are equipped to accomplish that purpose it doesn't matter how many supportive words people speak to you.  If you cannot accept that you are special and deserving of the bounty afforded others, then you will never get to partake in the bounty.

It took me years to realize that I had been given a great gift.  I could lay on my bed at night crying out for the answers but until I could accept certain things it didn't matter what others were saying to me.  I know I have a gift for speaking and motivating.  Now this knowledge did not come to me because someone thought I would be good at it, or because I was taught how to do it.  This knowledge came to me because I took the time to dig deep and figure out what I wanted to do, what I was destined to do, and what I equipped to do.  We need to forget what others expect, what others desire, and what others demand, and follow your heart.  You can have all the success in the world, with a corner executive office, nice home, car, and money, and if you are not doing what you were created to do, there will be an emptiness in you that will never be filled.  That emptiness will be multiplied a hundred fold when you look into your own mirror and yet the reflection that comes back to you is unrecognizable.

Being true to self is the only option you have.  If one is going to be true to self then you have to start out by loving who you are, what you are, and why you are the way you are.  Quit trying to be something you are not simply because someone says you should be.  You were put here on this earth for a reason and you have been given the traits you need to get those things accomplished.  Why worry about what others think, when it's you who has been chosen and not someone else?  When you look into your own mirror you should see your own heart and what is in your heart.  You should see the good in you and the good you can do for others.  You should see a reflection that will never change, without regard to the aging process or the results of gravity over the years.  Your true image will never change in the mirror because who you really are will never change.  Your destiny is what you were created for and unless you figure out what it is, the image you see in the mirror will be just that, an image.  Look deep inside and see what I know is in you.  Let the inner beauty dictate the outer beauty, and when you can do that, well let's just say, the reflection in the mirror will be a masterpiece the likes the world has never seen.




Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Intention: The power to change your life forever! It's not "I think I can," it is knowing you will.

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Oh for those care free days when all I had to worry about was I going to have enough money to put gas in my car so I could go out on a date on Friday.  Albeit, when I was thinking this way gas was only thirty five cents a gallon and I could fill up my 76 Honda for about four bucks.  Things have gotten a little more expensive since then and far more complex, but what was truth back then is still the same truth that will look you in the face and tell you to forget about the bad and focus on the good.

If one can never see good, I will bet you all the money in the world that you will never experience it.  Today I want to give you a tool, that when used correctly, will change everything about you and the challenges you either face or dread.  This tool is simple to understand, yet far too often hard to implement, but that is because for many, the simple things in life will confound the wise.

The Power of Intention is the one thing that you have going for you and it is the single most important thing you may ever learn in your life.  Without the ability to set the intention you will be pulled and tossed around like those little dust balls that stay under your bed and no matter how hard you try to sweep them up they seem to elude the dust pan.  Intention is feeling and knowing that what you desire is yours.  We have a tendency to think that we have to go through so much pain and suffering in the hopes that when we come out from it we will have that period of peace we want and need.  Man's greatest failing is that we have been conditioned to think, since birth mind you, that life will be full of struggles, set-backs, and challenges so get used to it.  To that I say blow it out your pie-hole.  Forget about what man says you have to go through and listen to your heart and follow it.

We often find ourselves in situations that we have put ourselves into.  We have created our own self-fulfilling prophesy.  "Oh I just know today is going to suck." or "I just knew I wouldn't have enough money."  There are a million and one things that we speak, claim, or profess, but no matter what we say we are directing what is going to come about in our lives.  If you can watch what comes out of your mouth and take that fraction of a second to decide if it is worth putting it out there to the universe, you just might see things change for you, and change in a big way.  I will tell you that I have learned these lessons the hard way and given the choice between peace and tranquility or pain and suffering, I think I will choose the peace.  Will you make this shift in thinking over night?  Probably not, face it you have been dealing with negativity all of your life.  However, if you never make an attempt I can assure you that you will be in the same place twenty years from now.

Successful people feel success, speak success, and think success.  Those that fail are the ones who are unable to see any good in things and quite often speak negative about virtually everything in life.  Is it any wonder that the walls seem to collapse on them all the time.  I have written extensively on the Power of Intention, and due to space and time constraints can't to do justice to it now.  Let me suggest that you pick up Dr. Wayne Dyer's book, The Power of Intention, it is a phenomenal book and it will change your life as it has changed mine.  I have learned to hold captive those thoughts that are counter productive to what I want to accomplish or to what I am believing for.  I have caught myself speaking negative and in mid sentence have stopped.  Now I am not perfect and there are times when thoughts and words do come forth that are not positive or enriching.  I do my best, but alas I am human and will screw it up from time to time.  The point is to become aware of what you are thinking and saying.  No one is ever going to be perfect, but at least give it a chance.

I know the Power of Intention and I will tell you that had it now been for this in my life I would not be doing what I am doing now.  If you believe there is a destiny inside of you, and if it is your desire to walk in that destiny, then I suggest you keep the words "I think I can" out of your vocabulary and instead substitute it for "I know I can."  This tiny little shift in your thinking and speaking will open up avenues that you may not have known existed.  The challenge has been issued and now you must make the decision to accept it or continue on a path that will lead to no where.

Life can be a challenge, but why make it more challenging because you have not learned to speak positive messages to yourself and the rest of the world.  Give it a shot, and let me know how it goes.  I am here to talk about it and together we will get you on your way to experiencing your True Destiny.






Monday, January 13, 2014

Behind every storm cloud is a silver lining

I was thinking back on some of the many lessons I have learned over my lifetime, and I have come to the conclusion that there is very little that I would change.  Sure we have a tendency to want to relive parts of our life, but I think that is something that comes natural to most everyone.  I have wondered what life would be like right now had I not done some of the things I have done in the past and what would I be like now if I had the opportunity to have a "Do Over"?  I think back to my early Twenties and wonder where I would be if I had zigged instead of zagged?  If I had studied something else in college or done something different in terms of employment?  When I spread out the canvass of my life I can see why things have happened the way they have happened and I am thankful that I've gotten to this point in my life knowing and experiencing the things that I have gone through.


I have said this many times in the past and I believe it now more than ever before: things happen for a reason and each trial or set-back is a learning experience.  Now there have been times when I have been in the middle of a crisis or mental melt down, but through it all I have come out better for it.  I can't sit here and say that it has been all good times, but even at my darkest moment I had a faith that said that tomorrow would be different and that I would live to fight another day.  I have been at the end of my rope and quite frankly would have done pretty much anything to end it all and be at peace, or at least what my conception of peace was at the moment.  There is one salient truth in this life and that truth is that each of us are here for a reason and much of what you go through in life is to get you to a point where you have an understanding of what that reason is.  I have grown so much over the last few years and even though I would have given everything I owned away to escape some of the pain I have gone through, I can honestly say that it has all been worth it.

No one ever said that life would be simple and anyone who says that they have never encountered a set-back or defeat is not living in truth.  How one handles a set-back or defeat is in large measure going to be predicated on how you see yourself and if you realize that there is a purpose for you being here.  Those who quit at the first sign of conflict or those who simply question the "why" probably have never fully grasped the reason for their being here.  I know this may sound like some mystical mumbo jumbo, but in reality those who know who they are and why they are here are the ones who can see past any smokescreen.

I was out and about the other day running some errands and just enjoying some time to relax and had no real agenda for the day, and don't you know that not having an agenda for a day is sometimes something that we all need.  As I was out and about on my day I took some time to just observe others that were out and about with their day.  I often wonder if these people are dealing with the same struggles that I am going through?  Do they get up in the morning ready to take on the day or do they wish they could stay tucked away in their nice warm bed hoping to escape the drudgery of the day that is certainly waiting for them?  As I said before we all have struggles.  We all have those times when we want to hole up in bed and not come out for fear that our worst expectations will certainly come to pass on this day.  I am just as guilty as anyone when it comes to dealing with less than desired situations and truth be told if I could bury them deep in the ground and never have to deal with them I would.  Alas, that is not living and the sooner you tackle these things head on the sooner you can take that step toward freedom.  We must learn that things do happen to teach us something, and teach us they will.  Well maybe attempt to teach us is a better way of putting it, because there are some out there who will continue to avoid life's lessons at all cost.

Many have heard me say this before, but there are certain things that bear repeating and this is one of those things: you can't avoid the lessons in life that you are destined to learn.  You can run from them, you can hide from them, and you can even ignore them, but at the end of the day, you are still going to have to deal with them.  Looking at those things we face each day should be looked at not as an obstacle that you will never get around or over, but rather as an opportunity to teach you something that you are going to need later on in life.  I don't care how old you are, we will be learning lessons until the day we die, so you might as well accept that fact and get on with it.  Some of these lessons may appear as dark, black, ominous thunderclouds, but behind them is the "Silver Lining" that is just waiting for you to discover it.  Lessons learned are lessons that you would do well to hold on to and reflect upon.  Sure some of them come with associated pain and suffering, but the pain and suffering one might go through to learn the lesson is nothing compared to the pain and suffering you will go through if you refuse to learn from these lessons and then find yourself having to go through the same old thing time and time again.

I have lived the "Should have", "Could have", and "Would have" syndrome, and each time I come to the same conclusion, better to have lived it once, then go through it time and time again.  Take the challenges as they come, and work through them.  Look at life as one big lesson and know that from this lesson you will be on your way to being the person you were destined to be.  If you are always thinking that the glass is half empty, then you will always be looking for a silver lining, that in reality you really don't believe in.  If on the other hand the glass is always half full, well then you will have given yourself the upper hand in pretty much anything that life might throw at you and when it is all said and done, you will have learned a very valuable lesson.

Life's lessons, as painful as they might be from time to time, have always been, and will always be, designed to equip you with all you need to be the person you were designed to be.  Don't run from these lessons, rather embrace them and realize that goodness can come from bad situations.  Today is a day to learn, and in this you will be equipped to become the person that the rest of the world needs.


Friday, January 10, 2014

Some days you're the windshield, and some days you're the bug!

Ever have one of those days when things just seemed out of whack?  I want to start out today by saying that I am going to get up on my soapbox, and to some you may get irritated, but others may see this as a breath of fresh air, and if you do, then feel free to pass on my sentiments to anyone you come in contact with today.  I am in the midst of trying to get a new job, times being what they are that is no easy task.  As I have tried to navigate through the countless job sites and job postings, I have come to the conclusion that things suck right about now.  I don't mean things suck because I have yet to find the perfect job, things suck right now because companies have lost touch with what is really important and what is not.

I know that in Corporate America, and when I say corporate I mean the workplace in general, many companies have focused on the bottom line, that being profits.  Now I am a Capitalist, and I believe that capitalism is the only system that will ultimately outlast every other system out there.  I do however think that we have taken this to the extreme, and we have done it without regard to how we treat or see those who work along side of us each day.  I wrote a book not long ago called, The Rebirth of the American Workplace, in this work I tried to spell out many of the mistakes that businesses in general are making, and regrettably continue to make.  I am not here to beat up on every business out there, but that being said, I am tired of what I see and it is time to spell out some of the crap that workers are having to contend with.

Let me say that my belief says that inside each person is a destiny, whether they ever discover it is another issue, but inside each of us is something that we were destined to accomplish in this life.  I see countless people who go through their day hating life, hating their job, and otherwise being miserable.  The question I have for those people is why?  When will enough be enough and when will you finally come to the realization that life is far to short to allow others to dictate what you should have, what you should do and how you should do it?  How great would each day be if when you get up in the morning you say to yourself how blessed you are to be doing the one thing that brings joy to you beyond measure?  How great would it be if when you got up in the morning all you could think about is all the lives you will touch with your infectious smile and joy?  How great would it be if you could find a way to help others get to the very place you are in and you would not trade this place for all the riches in the world?  This is a place that is achievable, and this is the very place we should each strive to get to.  Herein lies the problem:  most companies don't have a clue as to the importance of this, nor do they much care if anyone ever gets there.  Sure there are companies out there who will give you lip service and tell you that there is a fine line when it comes to family/work balance, but when it is all said and done it is nothing more than just that, "Lip Service".  I'm here to tell you that things need to change, or there will be a day when it all comes toppling down and we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

I have had numerous job interviews over the last few years and I am saddened to say that there has not been a single one of them that ever asked me the really important question, that being, "What can we do for you?"  The interview has always, and regrettably will probably never change, been about only what you can do for a company.  Now I am not saying that this is not important, after all they will be paying you for what you do, but work is a two-way street although many companies have forgotten this very important fact.  Just once I would like a company to ask me what is important to me and what do I need to get out of this job.  How can one ever make a good decision about accepting a job if they do not have an idea of what is in it for them besides the weekly pay check.  Truth be told we all have to work to make money, but money is not the only thing that is important and the sooner you realize this the sooner you may stand up and demand what you need.

Now I know there will be those who think that I have gone off the deep end thinking that a company is there to service me instead of me working my tail off so that the profit sheet can show the share holders what they expect to see.  Let me fill you in on a little secret: if you are not interviewing the company at the same time they are interviewing you then you are setting yourself up for the same results you have had for other employers you have worked for in the past.  It is time to stop the madness and finally take what is your just reward.  We have so been conditioned to accept the status- quo that we have forgotten how to fight for what is rightly ours.

During my most recent job search I have had to take some time to determine what I want, what I am willing to accept, and most importantly why am I beating myself up over companies who don't give a damn whether I get the job or not.  They have a position to fill and once that is done they have done their part for God and Country.  When is the last time you felt that a company really cared about what made you tick?  I mean when was the last time someone in management ever sat you down and asked what the company could do for you to make things better or to help you achieve a dream you had?  Sadly to say this does not happen that often and if it were to happen they could knock you over with a feather you would be so shocked.

In the workplace today we have abdicated our rightful place of expecting to be treated fairly and with respect, because god forbid you should rock the boat and upset management's apple cart.  We have decided what we will put up with because we have to earn a pay check to pay the rent, the mortgage, or the tuition bill.  We have accepted being sat on, spoken rudely to, and otherwise made to feel like we were the ones at fault for the lousy work environment we are in.  I look forward to the day when I start my own company and as the head of this company put the focus on what I can do for each person that works with me.  If you want to recession proof any company then start by taking care of those who you expect to take care of you.  Have you ever wondered why so many people are leaving the mainstream workplace to go out on their own?  They are tired of being kicked about and never receiving their just reward.  If you think that paying them a weekly pay check is doing them a favor then you have no right owning or running a business.  I know that may sound mean spirited, but lets face it, we owe our livelihood to those who work and sweat each day in our companies and the sooner you realize this the sooner you may make some much needed changes.

My mission in life is to teach others that life is more than just a nine to five job, five days a week.  When is the last time you could say to yourself that you were working to live and that you are not just living to work?  I know people who will get up on a Monday morning already wishing that it was Friday.  You have to know that the week is going to bite when you begin it this way.  Ladies and Gentlemen it is time to break out of the way we have always operated and begin to realize that you have a right to happiness, not only in what you do, but how you do it.  It is time to come to the conclusion that what has always been doesn't have to stay that way.  If you are sick and tired of being on the other end of the "what have you done for me today" mentality, then might I suggest you think long and hard on what will make you happy and go after it.  At the end of the day, you are the only one who can make the choice.  Do you stay in a place that only provides you a means of survival, or do you decide that life is more important and that your own dreams are more important?  To many this may be a day to break free from the rat race we call "expectations" and move forward in those things that you know you should be doing but as of yet have not stepped out into them.

If this resonates with you let me know, and if you need help to make the shift, well then get ahold of me and lets chat.  No one deserves to be held captive by the ignorant mentality that many companies display today.  My desire is that everyone find their destiny and begin to walk in it.  Until the next time, keep your chin up and know that greatness begins with acceptance, and that is accepting the greatness that resides in each of us.