Google it!!

The more things change the more things stay the same.  It amazes me in life, how we hit bumps in the road and most times, when we have been stuck in a situation and circumstance, we simply default back to the way things were.  When we find something that truly works, even though it was not what we started out with, then we need to pursue it, with all we have.  But do we? One of my biggest frustrations is setting the default browser on my computer.  I only want to use Google because, since I started using it as a search engine, it has yet to let me down.  But for some reason, over time others browsers creep in like "Sweet page" and "Yahoo" and people say that may be the way to go and I have to delete them and try to find "my Google" again.  It is not a question of not being open to try things differently, or being a control freak.  It is simply a question of knowing what is truly best and that which makes me happy and it is just impossible that it can be a bad thing, but the reality is that most do not view things in this light and will rather hang in with a different search engine on the premise that eventually it will be OK and things should not be manipulated, to get a different result. However, how much time is wasted using Yahoo, when Google will get you to your happy place far quicker.  Just saying - yes we all need a dose of patience and certain decisions do take longer to accomplish, but we need to be careful that we spend our quality time and precious moments, waiting for a new page to download!  We can keep refreshing our lives and maybe we will even get to the goals and dreams we seek, but we need to be aware of the frailty of life, the uncertainty in this modern world and the fact that we are susceptible to economics, stress, security issues and general moral decay.  We may live longer through medical science and hence have more time to search for our perfect page, but we remain vulnerable and it remains a priority to live the most excellent, bold and fabulous life.  

Some things are best said.. well.

A couple of tips regarding communication which I certainly need a reminder of.  Some weeks are just a right off when it comes to discussion and sentence construction and one can only hope that the duster will be able to wipe clean the board fully and not leave a smear in the background.  Don't be silly about things that bother you and don't leave words unspoken, or incomplete.  Speak in full sentences, but don't say the same thing over and over.  Choose your words correctly and concisely and be specific and direct in what you say.  Maintain your composure above all else and look at people when you speak to them.   "Moenie doekies omdraai nie", meaning that to say things as they are is far better than to presume that you know will be the correct thing to say and your presumption ends up being wrong.  Don't create awkward silences because you are not sure that what you want to say is going to be understood wrongly, or get you into trouble.  Don't twist the truth, so that it suits you and don't be dishonest about what you say to people even if you know that there may be consequences.  Don't hold onto sentences, because you think another person may not forgive, because if they are not willing to, then there is probably a reason for it.  Steer clear of gossip and rather ask for the truth, than be told later what you already thought, or worse what you did not expect.  Try to say things in a manner that is uplifting and not harsh and avoid criticism or sarcasm as they never produce any positive results for you or the recipient.  Overall be Nice.  The moral of the story I guess is to keep it simple, don't try to know, or find out everything, accept what others say and have the right attitude, no matter what is going on in your head and in your situation. 

Touch, Pause .... Engage!

Learn from the past, but don't wallow in it.  No one enjoys hearing about how tough your life has been and why your circumstances are worse than theirs.  The quicker one realises that there is nothing you can do to retrieve the past, or push the re- record button, the better equipped we become to take on life's challenges.  The mistakes you may have made and the decisions that haunt you, are certainly not going to change the facts, so to spend time reflecting on how and where you may have gone wrong, is a true waste of time.  And it is most certainly, precious time.  Every day has but only a few moments, which should be captured and savoured and held in your heart, or etched in your memory.  You cannot take all 24 hours and hope to achieve a perfect 10.  The sooner you are able to move from the memory, to a place of reality, the quicker you will be able to influence your surroundings and your industry.  Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.  Worry will eat away at the positive moments and the moments which are about to become part of your positive conscience and it will destroy your courage and a vision that things can be better, even if they end up being different or new.  Frustration hangs around like a car guard ready to pounce and take a snippet from every positive situation.  It can heap up and boil over and your tears will wash it clean.  If you need to shed a few tears, go ahead and do so, for it is not always a sign of weakness, or lack of strength. People cry, not because they are weak, it's because they have been strong for too long!  Finding that release will wash away frustration, anger and negative thoughts and put you back in pole position to push forward ONCE AGAIN.  

A Feather in your Cap

Sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you struggle to have control over your thinking and negative thoughts are flooding into your mind - that is the time to talk your way out of it with distraction.  Tell yourself if you have to that you are going to focus on something else right now.    Speak to someone that makes you smile.  Find something that makes you feel better.  Try encouraging yourself that you are strong and powerful and in control of your mind.  Look around you to change your focus.  Take the first thing that is in front of you and allow your thoughts to change your world.  Do not allow the strains of life to suffocate you from the calling to be happy and prosperous and victorious.  The sooner we realize that we cannot live the life we do not want the quicker we can get on with a good life.  We are entitled to be happy and to move forward for much more than a few reasons.  We can thank the people in our lives that make a difference to our upbringing and our formative years.  We can show gratitude to them for the sacrifices they made to get us to where we are now.  We can try not to take things for granted like support and assistance and care and we can be respectful of time and what others are willing to give up to bring us a little reprieve and a taste of happiness.  Take a hard look at those in your life and what they are doing for you and then celebrate them, build them up and grab some love for your own accomplishments and talents in the best possible way.

Rub out the chalk and start again

Every day is a clean slate.  Don't  think that you dare to give up on today, because of the way things looked yesterday.  Whether they were bleak or uncomfortable or frustrating there is always today to make things right and to succeed again.  Every day is a new day to try again.  If for any other reason because we owe it to ourselves, more than anything.  Try to start with the things that are not your favourite to do, that irritate you and are many times put on the back burner, because they are just not "lekker" to do. Ensure that the things you prefer not to do, are done first, because that will allow you time to enjoy the things that matter to you. We all tend to start with the things that we enjoy and leave little or no time to get to the things that hold us back, but such things in life make a difference to the end result and frankly they need to be done.  It is not about being boring, or a control freak, or stuck in your ways, it is about ensuring that all aspects of your life are attended to, whether we like them or not.  Those that are not our favourites,we then put them off and they end up heaping up.  This will affect you in your future, because they will not disappear but only remain to clutter up your life and rob you of your freedoms.  It will not be a mistake to tackle them head on, but rather another decision to rectify something that needs to be fixed and best for your future.  So fight the urge to just have fun and only do the fun things and rather exercise discipline and commitment to tick off a few of those 'bug bears' today.

That voice inside you head

Listen to your intuition.  We all have a measure of this even though it is often written, that woman possess far more than men.  When something feels right that means it is right for you.  It is rather personal and relates to you as an individual.  It is not about what you think others are thinking, or even what they have expressed to you, it revolves around what you are feeling inside and how it makes you feel.  Whether you are able to give expression to it, or whether you think others may not understand your intuition, can take you further than you think.  Think back to many situations in your life where a gut feel or intuition has led you to a new and better adventure, it has saved you from making a mistake and probably also provided many a confirmation of something you have been thinking about.  Intuition is by nature speculative, but with a sure feeling behind it.  Because it is a shot in the dark, it is often left unsaid and expressed in your mind or heart rather than in public.  Intuition should lead you to facts, otherwise it may be that it lets you down.  Not every intuition is correct  and you need to allocate enough thought and time behind it.  When something feels wrong, that means it is probably wrong for you.  Again that involves you personally and should not be taken to represent all others around you.  In fact you feeling something is wrong may be creating exactly the intuition to someone else, that something is right for them.  Owe it to yourself to pay attention to your authentic feelings and follow where they lead.  Don't shrink away from them, whether they are painful, loving, exciting or even overwhelming.  Intuition will save you a lot of wasted time in the future if you listen to its calling.

Give me some Self Control

Don't think for one second that you are in control of your life and its circumstances, because just when you are certain that you are fully in tune with what life has to offer, you find out that it is sending you on a different journey.  We can plan in general to succeed but we cannot be sure that the factors affecting our plans can't change.  Having a constant supply of patience and the ability to put yourself in a position or place, where you may find success, are as important as the resources you throw at a given task or project.  It certainly helps when there is enough money or resource, time and support to ensure that you can give your dream a proper go, but having a daily habit of professionalism, integrity and willingness to work hard and exercise a self discipline of daily effort, these are just as pivotal to the cause.  It goes without saying that you dare not give up for even a day,  because this will just come and bite you somewhere.  Have the energy to turn up every day to your chosen career and give it your all. Not a little, or with an attitude of partial fulfillment. No 100 percent every day.  Strive for a balance of passion, commitment and regular practice and very soon you will see the dividends paying off, hopefully in more ways than you think possible.