New beginnings, New adventures.

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The crazy and hurried days of the past holiday season are past us now. If you are like most people you are looking ahead to what one hopes is a year full of promise, full of hope, and full of everything that was missing from the previous 12 months.

Each new 365 day period ushers in new beginnings and new adventures.  The question I have for you today is will you go after each of your adventures or will you allow them to simply fade into the background with no action from you on them?  Come on, it's the New Year, and why duplicate last year's efforts, or in some cases lack of effort?  I've seen so many people who have given up on their dreams and quite frankly they already have half a foot in the grave.  If you always want to be young, feel young, and act young, then simply move forward on your dreams. You will never get old if you go after those things that are deep in your heart.

So what's the first thing you should do this new year to usher in those things you desire most?  Well quite frankly you have to be willing to admit to the things you want most in life.  There are many, many people out there who for what ever reason are unwilling to acknowledge what they want in life.  This may be a result of having been mocked or ridiculed for what they desire. Face it, the world can be a very mean place.  I saw screw the naysayers and simply scream out what you most desire right now.  Once you are able to accept those things that reside inside of you, then those things that you desire will come out to the surface, and then all you need to do is simply own them.  Here is a simple truth:  you will never have what you don't believe you can have.  There are plenty of people out there who desire wealth, but the simple truth is they don't believe they are deserving of wealth, so quite frankly wealth is something they will never have.

You are just as deserving, just as worthy,  of having whatever your heart desires as anyone else walking the planet.  Man has done a pretty good job of screwing with our minds and making us believe that success, happiness, and joy, are only for a select few.  That is utter hogwash, and the sooner you realize that your worth is based only on the fact that you are alive and breathing at this moment, the sooner you can step into those things that were always intended for you.  I've had people ask me if I ever get tired of trying to motivate others and my response is an emphatic NO!  Helping someone achieve a dream or a goal is what I was put here on this earth to do.  There is no greater joy then seeing someone who is doing what they love, and loving what they do.  There is no greater joy then knowing that I had a small part to play in someone achieving a life long dream.  The is simply no greater joy then knowing that someone has discovered the purpose behind them being here right now and then walking in that destiny to the best of their ability.

This is what a New Year should bring for in you: If you are wanting to do more with the dreams that reside in you, then recognize the simple fact that there is something you should be doing with them.  Dreams and visions are not something that simply hang around to occupy space or time.  Your dreams and visions exist because there is something you are supposed to garner from them, and the sooner you are able to gain whatever perspective you are supposed to gain from them, the better all of us will be.  I say all of us because most dreams and visions are there to help mankind.

We see people who set New Year's Resolutions.  Some are able to stick with them, and others simply let them fall to the wayside.  Let your resolution be what gets you up each morning with a joy in your heart because you are free to go after anything you desire.  I for one am extremely excited for what this next year is going to mean for me.  I have the opportunity to do some things that I have always wanted to do, and I'm eagerly anticipating success in whatever I lay my hands to.  This is the mindset that each of you are going to have to get if you want to walk in those things you desire most.  It is time to cut loose from the expectations of man and simply be the person you were always designed to be.  It's easy to try to fit into a mold that others have made for you, but that mold is not your mold, and the sooner you can free yourself from other's expectations the better off you will be.  Isn't it time that you are the one who captures all the goodness that life has to offer and not be the one who is simply watching from the sidelines as someone else gets all the glory for doing something great?

This New Year is your New Year.  It is absolutely a time of new beginnings and new adventures.  I will bet you that deep inside of you is something that wants to come out, and I am encouraging you to let it out.  Your life will change in such a dynamic way when you are able to walk in those things that you have wanted all of your life.  It's never too late to change, and it's never too late to be the person you were meant to be.  I stand with you this year and I for one am looking forward to each new adventure.  Join me in this endeavor and see what wonders will appear right in front of your eyes.

It's that time of year, are you ready?

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How we got to this place, this time, is simply amazing to me. How did 2016 go by so fast?  I know that with each passing year, each year seems to go faster and faster, but this was ridunkulous!!  Hey it's OK, the faster time goes, or at least our perception of the speed of time, the faster we are able to do and be in the place we were always intended to be.

As we count down the remaining days, hours, and minutes of 2016 I always like to look back a little, but primarily I love looking ahead, and with a new invigorated hope, look to 2017 for what it will bring to not only myself, but to the rest of those I call friends, family, acquaintances, and loved ones.  

If you were like me, 2016 was a learning year.  I learned much more about myself then I had even planned at the beginning of the year.  Not all the lessons were fun, but at the same time, not every lesson was a total downer.  I was forced to learn more patience, and at times I was amazed where the patience came from, but it did, it was good, and I am a little better for having gone through some of the things I went through.  What things did you learn this year?  What lessons will you carry over into the new year, and will you finally grab the golden ring and do what you have always desired to do?
These are the questions we asked ourselves each year at this time, and sadly these are some of the questions that go unanswered for most of the upcoming year.  Why not try something new this year and make that effort to go where you may never have gone before.  Why not answer some of those lingering questions that you have run away from.

The New Year is the best time to begin new things.  It's like cleaning our the refrigerator.  You put it off until there are no more containers left in the pantry to put additional left overs in, so you empty out all the old ones, and you simply begin again.  Certainly there will be some things that we carry over from year to year, but this is the perfect time to start fresh.  This is the perfect time to throw caution to the wind and simply jump into the deep end and swim for all you're worth.  This is a great time to sweep away those things that no longer serve you, and maybe just maybe put what you need ahead of others.  Getting what you need is not selfish.   Getting what you need is simply allowing things to come to you that you need, you want, and quite frankly may have been waiting for for some time now.

I don't know many people who look at the New Year and the first thing that comes into their mind is the dread that followed them the previous year.  Most people look at this moment in time as a time of hope, a time of dreaming, and a time to release the old and pick up the new.  I may be repeating myself, but the New Year is a time of hope and promise.  It is that moment where everything seems possible, and those things that may have been just out of reach for you somehow appear to be just a bit closer and more obtainable.

I learned a lot in 2016.  I'm looking forward to what I learn in 2017.  Here's my suggestion for you, and you of course can choose to do it, or you can choose not to.  I simply want you to think about it.  If you choose to heed my advice, well then, good on you.  If on the other hand you decide to go it alone, I still wish you the very best.  I suggest that you take a moment to reflect on 2016, but only a moment, and then make the decision to step out of your comfort zone and do something really outrageous.  Now being outrageous is different for everyone.  What I mean is you simply do something that some people just might never expect you to do.  If you have always had long hair, maybe it's time to shorten it up.  If you have always been just a vanilla or chocolate type of person, maybe it's time to throw in some sprinkles.  What I'm saying is this:  you control what you do, and maybe it's time you stop doing what others expect of you and simply do what you want to do.

Too many people have spent their lives doing what others wanted them to do, or what they thought was expected of them.  All this has done is make for a very unrewarding life, and a life where you are constantly asking yourself the "what if" question.  So let me ask you this:  what if you decided to do what was in your heart this year?  What if you decided to be who you really are and forget about being the person others expect you to be?  What if you simply started enjoying Life and doing a few things that truly make you happy?

This is what the New Year is all about.  It is your time to dream, your time to do, and your time to simply look ahead with hope.  We may not know everything that is going to happen in the upcoming year, but that shouldn't matter.  There will be those who accomplish all they desire, and there will be others who will sit back and when 2017 is over wonder where the time went, and how they managed to do absolutely nothing.  2017 is going to be what you make it.  Your thoughts, your feelings, your words, and your actions are going to be the driving force behind what you experience in the upcoming year.  I suggest you put out good thoughts, good vibes, and set the intention that this year is going to be like no other.  Once again if you can think it, you can believe it, and if you believe it, you can pretty much bet it is going to be yours.  Have a great 2017 and I am so thrilled to be entering into a new period and you should be too.

Is death the end, or just the beginning?

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It's the ageless question:  is there life after death, and if there is, what's on the other side? I lost my last remaining grandparent yesterday with the passing of my maternal grandmother. She lived a very good life for nearly 100 years, and I'm quite sure that many lives were touched during her time on this planet.  Part of me is saddened that I will never be able to see her face again, but there is also a part of me who realizes that the core of her being, her spirit, is what will live on for eternity.

When I began my journey of enlightenment I was like most people, fearful of death, and often would wonder what was on the other side.  Now there are many who will latch on to the concept of heaven and hell, but that's not what I want to talk about today. You have the right to believe anything you desire, after all it is a free world.  What I want to talk about is the concept of spirit, and what it means to each of us, or better put, what it should mean to us.

When I got the call yesterday evening about my grandmother the first thing that came into my mind was the simple fact that her spirit is no different now then it was 24 hours prior, or 24 minutes, or even 24 seconds.  Her spirit was still very much alive, and anything I could have gained from her while she was on this earth, is what I can still gain from her today.  We've been conditioned to believe we are mere mortals who might occasionally have a spiritual experience, while the truth of the matter is this:  we are first and foremost spiritual beings.  Although my grandmother is no longer alive, that portion that most people associate life to, her real presence, is just as present today as it was yesterday, or the day before that.  There are those who might think me heartless or cold because I can't be unhappy in this moment of loss.  In actuality I haven't lost anything really because my belief is that she is still very much present in my life.  The best part of all of it is now she has the ability to be by my side anytime she wants, or I want, and we are no longer separated by 3000 miles.

The sting of death will ultimately touch everyone at some point in time.  People will handle this loss differently because each situation is different.  Death can come in may ways and I dare say that few people alive today have not given thought to death and how it might effect those around them.  Movies have been made, books have been written about those who come back to see what others thought of them while they were on this earth.  Did they touch another life, did they bring change to the world, or did they simply take up space?  I think everyone is a little curious about how they are perceived or how they are thought about.  I was having a conversation with a friend the other night and we somehow got on the topic of death and what we wanted done at our own funeral.  I've always wanted to know that I touched people's lives in a way that I brought about change to them, change that allowed them to realize and walk in their destiny.  I've never really been motivated by money and whether I leave an estate worth millions, or leave with nothing, money has never been the motivation behind what I do.  If I do have a grave stone, the only thing I want on it is "He was a friend".  I think we have a golden opportunity to walk in spiritual things while we are still breathing, and in doing so we will have a glimpse of what our existence will be like when we leave this earthly plane.

Death is not the end of a journey, but a new beginning.  Your spirit has been around since the beginning of time, and it will be around until the end of time.  We've been taught, as little children, that heaven is the place you go when you die, and that you will be in heaven forever.  What people have failed to realize is that forever is not just from this moment in time forward, but from this moment in time backwards as well.  Forever is infinite, just as your spirit is infinite.  If you believe that you have a spirit, or as some call it a soul, then you are infinite.  I know it's a hard concept to grasp, but simply because you may not be aware of your awesomeness, doesn't mean you aren't.  We must come to terms with our true essence, our true being.  Until such time as you know the true you, then death will always be something you either fear or something you try to cheat.

If I were to leave this body tomorrow I would leave knowing that the real me is still very real, still very present, and fortunate enough to be moving on to another adventure.  Truth be told I'm kind of envious of my grandmother because she is now free to move about without all the limitations that we mere mortals have been forced to live with all these years.

Grandma I love you.  I thank you for all you did for me while we were together and I am blessed to have had you in my life for as long as I did.  You are now free to walk amongst the Angels and you are now free to spread love to the rest of the universe.  I can feel your presence and it is as real now as it was before.

Ladies and Gentlemen get in touch with your own Spirit and live now just like you will be leaving for eternity when it is time for you to transition.  Your spirit is a work of love, formed from love, and meant for love.  Touch it now, and share it with the rest of the world.  Let's face it, the world needs love and it needs it now and in unlimited measure.  Death is not the end, it is just the beginning.

In loving memory of Mary Cervantes.

A New Direction: why changing something up is sometimes the best option.

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For many people, stepping outside of the norm, is like asking them to cut off their arm.  It's always been done a certain way, and change is not something that even remotely interest them.  We've all been around these people, and often wonder what's the big deal.  What's wrong with changing things up from time to time?  What's wrong with going against the established way of doing things, especially when you know you have a better way?  Say what you want but being the one who is upsetting the apple cart is never going to earn you warm reviews that is for sure, but it will put you where you need to be.

I've been stuck lately and let me tell you that's no place I want to be for very long, but unfortunately it's a place I find myself in from time to time.  I might decided to go one way one day and then completely change direction the day after next.  Believe it or not it's absolutely fine to change up things from time to time.  If nothing else it sure does make life interesting.  What I want you to take away today is that changing direction, deciding to do something different, or simply taking a step back to review where you have been and where you want to go is perfectly fine.  We are not a culture who has to be in lock step with everyone else.  We are as individual as each different snowflake and because of that we are all going to do things a little differently from time to time.  The key is to accept people's differences and be open to the possibility that you may have to change direction at least once or twice in your lifetime.

I spent a career in the United States Air Force traveling around the world, never staying in one place for a long period of time. Because of this I have what you call "wanderlust".  That crazy notion that things need to change and I need a change of scenery every so often.  I have fought the wanderlust for many years and have been in my adopted home state of Maine for almost thirty years.  That being said I am seriously thinking about pulling up stakes and trying a different part of the planet to live.  Every now and again a change of scenery is called for and if nothing else it will give you a different perspective, and that new perspective is sometimes the best thing that can happen to you.

I have talked to many people who feel that changing direction is changing destiny.  That somehow if you deviate from your path you are going to forfeit what is yours.  Destiny is destiny and there isn't a whole lot you can do to change that.  The scenery may change, the seasons may come and go, but rest assured your destiny is never going to morph into anything other then what it is supposed to be.  So let me repeat, simply changing where you live is not going to alter your destiny. How do you know if making a change is not exactly what the universe has in mind for you?  Just think about that for a minute.

There are so many people stuck in a rut.  There is almost zero chance they will ever change up what they do from day to day.  Get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, repeat.  Now if that is not simply mind numbing I don't know what it.  Life is an adventure and as such you should be seeking adventure in whatever it is you are doing.  Even if your life has been marginalized by others you still have the option of doing something daring and out of the norm.  What do you care what others might be thinking, it's your life and not theirs.  Take a step on the wild side for once in your life and see if your perspective on things doesn't change a bit.  There are so many people who walk around with blinders on.  Sure you can see what is right in front of you, but the vast majority of what is important are those things that are happening all around you.  Take the blinders off and see what you have been missing.  I get how fearful change can be, but change never killed anyone, not really that is, and change is what brings different perspectives to your situation.  Face it, if you have been sitting around for years waiting for you ship to come in, chances are that ship has sailed and you will be waiting till hell freezes over.  Get off you butt and do something different.  Go in a different direction and if in the process you freak some people out because they never saw it coming, well good on you.

Don't allow fear to stop you in your tracks.  Don't allow the naysayers to keep you where you have always been simply because it has kept them company for these many years.  Get your feet moving and when the dust settles, which it will, what you see in front of you will simply be breath taking.  There is something so wonderful when you wake up in a new place.  There seems to be endless possibilities when you dare to go off the original path and plot a different path.

Changing the way you do things, changing the way you look at things, and ultimately changing direction is often the most daring thing you will ever do, but it will also be the most life changing thing you could ever do.  There are many phases of life, but one thing that will never change is the simple fact that phases bring change, and change is what makes the world go round.  Don't be afraid to zig when others are zagging.  Don't let others make you go left when you really should go right.  If you change things up, then you slowly begin to change the world.  In the long run, that's a pretty good thing.

If I had just a little more time I would....

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What would you do if you had a little more time?  What would you do if you figured out exactly when time was going to end for you?  What would you do if you had to do it all over again?

If you are like most people each of us have answered these questions in the past.  Now maybe you didn't answer all of them, and maybe you are like me and have answered them numerous times, and each time with a different answer.  What I want you to take with you today is a way of looking at life, but looking at it because you are fully engaged with it and not simply looking at it from the sidelines.

I saw this quote from Mr. Franklin and it pretty much cut me to the quick.  It's not that I have an issue with sitting around doing nothing.  My problem is that I get so busy doing things, that the one thing I should be concentrating on is the one thing that seems to sit on the back burner.  I know I'm not alone in this area, but there is hope for us.  There is no doubt that sitting around doing nothing is never going to get you to the point you either want to be or to the point you should be.  Sitting around doing nothing is never going to give you a sense of accomplishment nor will you go to bed with that "I rocked this day"  feeling.  I will tell you that those days that I simply do nothing, where I veg out and refuse to engage in any real activity, are the days where I am left feeling pretty lousy.

Most people who are just sitting around doing nothing are not doing so because they want to waste time, rather they are still trying to figure things out.  You can get wrapped around the wagon wheel and then all forward momentum stops.  I've been dogged by this for years.  I have things I really want to do, but for the life of me I can't seem to figure out how to get where I want to be, nor am I able to figure out how to get started.  The end result is that there are no real results to speak of.  Now sitting around trying to figure things out is not the end of the world.  I can assure you that there are  plenty of people out there who will tell you that things would have been much better for them had they taken a little extra time to think things out instead of just running into something with absolutely no idea of what they were doing.  The whole key to what I am talking about is not just sitting around waiting for the world to fall into you lap.  There may be a few lucky people out there who have been able to experience the miracle of things just lining up perfectly and they getting what is their deepest desire.  The vast majority of people do not fall into this category, albeit there are still those waiting for the heavens to open and pour them out blessing on top of blessing.

Don't be the person who is going to say "Gee if I just had a little more time."  I can think of a lot of things in life that can bring misery, but one of the worst is knowing that you had the ability to do something, achieve all of your dreams and yet you squandered all of it.  I think I would rather be void of any dream verses having to live with the realization that I simply threw my dreams away or let them wither on the vine.

There are all kinds of questions that people are thinking about then the end is approaching: "Could I have loved more?",  or "I wonder what things would be like now had I done something, anything?" Have you asked yourself any of these questions?  Have you wondered where the time has gone and have you ever felt remorse for what you never did with the time you had?  I dare say there are very few people alive today who haven't felt this way.  The fact that you may feel this way or have felt this way is a good thing because it just may help get you focused on the things that really matter.  Remember my friends, time is an illusion, and if you will simply focus on your dreams and desires and forget about time flying by, then eventually it will be like time has stood still for you because you will be wrapped up in doing what you were ultimately sent here to do.

So now you have an option.  You can sit around doing nothing, or you can move forward.  Moving forward is all about not letting the dream die.  You don't have to have all the answers, but you do have to have the desire, and trust me when dreams are involved desire is never going to be an issue.  If you have dreams never let go of them, and never let someone talk you out of them.  People may scoff at what you want, they may not understand, but that doesn't matter.  Your dreams are your own and not for anyone else to own.  If I had listened to others from my past I would never be where I am today, doing what I am doing, and quite frankly loving every moment that I get to write or speak to others about destiny.

So, if you had a little more time, what would you be doing with it?  Hopefully you will be doing exactly what you are doing right now and that is walking in your destiny.  If you are not there yet, don't give up hope.  You will discover your purpose, and then I promise you that sitting around doing nothing will never ever plaque you again.

There comes a time when....

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You've got to believe that there will come a time when decisions will have to be made, actions will have to be taken, and even a time when you will simply have to lay low for a bit and watch as things happen around you.  There will also be a moment in time when you realize all of your dreams, and then life becomes just one big happy place for you.  Sadly there are many who will never experience the latter, not because they don't deserve it, but simply because they don't believe it.  There are many people who just don't have the ability to grasp the concept that life is not about defeat and unhappiness, but rather reaching for the stars and getting there.

There comes a time when each of us will have to accept certain truths.  Now these truths are not what others may have said or taught you.  These truths are not those things that may have been passed down from generation to generation.  These truths are universal truths and whether you believe them or not makes no difference.  You may not believe in the Law of Gravity, but your existence is affected by it each second of every day that you are walking on this planet.  The significance of your being here in this body, in this moment can not be over stated.  There are things that need to be accomplished and you quite frankly are the only one who can accomplish them.  Yes you!!  Each person has a destiny, and that destiny is the reason you are living and breathing right now.  Your destiny was etched out long before you took your first breath and your destiny is the only reason you are here right now.

When you look at history you will see those who have achieved great things.  Often we look at them and wonder what is it that differentiates them from those who seem to just exist?  What is it that allows them to reach certain milestones and why aren't others able to do the same thing?  Well the answer is quite simple; they believe.  They believe that they have a purpose and no matter how big or small the objective is, they will meet it.  Is achieving your dreams something that you have to earn, or is it something that is your birthright?  I believe that achieving or walking in your destiny is the only reason you are here right now.  If your destiny is to be the best parent, do you feel as though that this is just as important as the person who may aspire to be President?  The problem with most people is they have placed a value on destiny and if it isn't something grandiose then it's not valued.  Well let me tell you that until we get away from measuring things in man's way, we will always look at destiny as some sort of "Only for the truly privileged."  Destiny is for everyone and everyone has a destiny.  There are no more important or less desiring destinies, there are only destinies.

There will come a time, and hopefully it comes before you sit back and say I should have done this, or should have done that,  but there will come a time when you realize that there is something very specific that you were created to do.  There will come a time when you will look back on things and you will know whether you accomplished those things you were intended to accomplish.  How grand would life be for you right now if all you had were memories of this victory, or that wonderful accomplishment?  How fantastic would living in the now be if all you ever thought about was how wonderful it is that you are able to be doing the things you are doing?  Life was never intended to be one long day of never ending disappointment or dissatisfaction.  Life was never intended to be a series of unfortunate events that seem to follow you like a lost little puppy.  Oh yes, there will come a time when you are going to realize that life is so much more then others have lead you to believe.

We are entering a time of year when people begin to look back on the year, look ahead to the next year, and most of the time talk about what did or didn't happen to them.  I've found myself in years past looking forward to what might happen in the future because all I wanted to do was leave my past behind me.  I never took the time to really look at the lessons from the previous year, and because of that virtually assured myself that I would be placed in similar situations the next year because come hell or high water I will have to learn those things that need to be learned.  I've been guilty of letting time dictate my actions or in some cases inaction.  Time is never an issue when it comes to destiny, and the sooner you learn this the better things will be for you.  Things are going to happen to you when the universe decides they will happen, and all the crying, cajoling is never going to change that.

There will come a time when what you have gone through, what you have learned, and what is going to happen will all make sense.  Yes it might take a little bit of faith on your part, but faith is a funny thing.  When you think you've lost all faith, all hope, something will happen that will rekindle it.  That is what destiny is all about.  Just about the time you may think you're going to abandon destiny it reaches back to you and pulls you in the right direction.  You will discover your destiny because destiny is guided by your passion, and passion is one thing that will never leave you.  Certainly passion might be weighed down by the cares of this world, but when push comes to shove, passion will always be there even if it's just a little spark or burning ember inside of you.

If you are crying out to learn your destiny then fear not, it will find you.  If you are running from your destiny, then I'm here to tell you, you're wasting your time.  Destiny will continue to tap you on your should until it either drives you mad or you decide to accept it and fully embrace the reason for your being here.  Destiny is so profound and destiny is so beautiful.  Why not open yourself up to what is really in your heart and forget about all the counterfeit stuff out there, that is only there to get you off your true path. Trust me, when you discover and walk in your destiny your life becomes something so grand, something so beautiful, and something so incredibly exciting, that there is nothing you wouldn't give to have just one more minute of it.  Go after it my friends, go after it with everything in you and then everything in you will know the significance of your true being.

Are you still standing?

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If you're like me, this year has been everything I thought it would be.  I came into 2016 expecting some changes, some challenges, and yes even some victories.  While the victories have been there, it's the changes and the challenges that come to the forefront of my mind as I write today.  I've talked to many friends who feel as though this year has been chaotic beyond description. Others have simply navigated the waters as best they could all the while hoping against hope that they would eventually make it safely to port.

It's traditional to look at Thanksgiving week as a time to reflect on all the blessings we have had during the past year, and also look forward to the blessings that we hope will manifest in the upcoming year.  What I would like you to do today is to look at things a little differently then you might have looked at them in the past.  What I would like you to do today is to realize that you have been victorious because quite frankly you are still here.  You are still standing, and minus a few bumps and bruises, you are still here to tell the tale of what life has been like for you over the last 11 or so months.  It's so easy to sometimes just want to throw in the towel and give up.  It's also extremely easy to walk away from those things that seem nearly impossible to do.  That being said, I am a believer in the impossible, and I want to challenge you to look at things a little differently.  Impossible is something we fall back on all to often.  Impossible is something we accept all to often.  Impossible is something we have to stop thinking about and instead look at possibilities.

Our country has come through trying times in the past.  Most people have lived through tough times and many more will have to walk the path of trials and tribulations in the future.  The thing that is most important in all of this is to realize that you are still standing, even when others around you have given up.  I've made a huge effort to stay away from making any political statements over the last year or so, despite the fact that our country is so divided.  Our country is more polarized now then at any time in recent memory.  Whether your candidate of choice won or lost is not the issue.  What is important is that you set aside any animosities and simply focus on what you need to do.  I've watched as others have made the conscious decision to protest the President-Elect.  I've watched as others have chosen violence over love.  I've watched anger drive actions, and those actions have hurt innocent lives.  When one makes the decision to strike back at others, they have placed themselves in a position that will only lead to personal destruction.  I get how angry some people are, what I don't get is how in god's name can someone justify smashing car windows, burning vehicles, and other wise lashing out in such a manner. Now I know this may be just a little off topic today, but I just needed to get that off my chest. We will now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcasting, LOL.

Over the last few months I have had to make some tough decisions, and those decisions are what will bring me to the next phase of my life.  Not every decision was easy to make, and while I still have a few things to clean up so to speak, I have made the decision that moving forward is the only option I have.  I'm still standing after all the turmoil of the last few years. I'm still standing after all of the uncertainty of the last few years.  I'm still standing even after there were times when all I wanted to do was run and hide.  I understand the desire to just hole up and do nothing.  I really do get why some people just want to give up the ghost and move on to something else.  What I want to encourage you to do is to think about those things you desire most in life, and understand that they are desires for one reason:  you're supposed to do something with them.

Destiny is why you are here.  Your destiny, whether you fully understand it yet, is what allows you to still be standing in this moment.  It would be great if all we had to do was celebrate success in life.  It would be great if no one ever knew about failure or set-backs.  In reality we will all have to deal with bumps in the road, but in the end what will never leave you is the very reason you are present on this earth right now, and that one thing is your destiny.  Destiny knows no time line, it knows no limits, and it will come about when it's supposed to come about.  Your role is to prepare yourself for the eventual time when you step out into your destiny and you become whole.

We all have a part to play in this world today.  What part that is, well you will have to discover it for yourself.  If you want to be thankful for something, be thankful that you are alive right now, and that you have everything you need to be the person you desire to be, doing the things you desire to do.  You're still standing, and you're standing for a reason.  Think about that for a minute or two and then get moving.