Chance

Do you believe in chance in your life? In this world? I was driving back to work today thinking about a friend that I never see and was thinking that after the first of the year, I need to call her and catch up. She was very kind in sending me a text after she heard my speech and even told me that her daughter posted something I said in Facebook, so it must have made an impact on her. Then, JS drives past me going an opposite direction and waves to me. What do I do next? I call her!! I tell her, "I was just thinking about you and then you drove by!" Was that by chance? It is funny because when we saw each other more, we were not really good friends then, but since we see each other less, we seem to want to see each other more and seem to connect better. Maybe that is weird and maybe JS thinks I am crazy. But I believe in chance. I believe that some things are not so planned to be a part of destiny and other things happen by chance. When Mike and I got married almost 23 years ago, we traveled from the west coast to the east coast for our honeymoon and met a couple from our same town from California. They even were attending the same university as I was at the time. Chance? Maybe. I think it was chance last year when I ran into a friend at the library who I had not seen in some time. But that might have been more to do with destiny, disguised to look like chance. Wouldn't that be interesting? I know I am not in charge of this life of mine and have been very blessed with the events and people that have made me learn more about why I am here. I was never someone who believe in chance before. But I have to give myself chances, because no one else will. I have to take chances, because I cannot grow if I stay in the same place. I think when I met Rock it was chance - I mean, she just walked past my office one day. But again, maybe it was all part of a bigger plan made to look like chance. We will never know, but I know we are both very grateful. Believe in chance...you just never know what will come your way. Even when you think you do, you don't.

Dog-leg left

I am not sure why I was thinking about golf today this morning on my walk. I mean...I am not a golfer, although my husband and two of my sons are and our third son golfs like I do, not well. But you don't have to know about the game of golf to relate to its message and the things we can learn from it. We shots are taking out our biggest club -- the Big Dog -- and showing everyone our game. What we can do when we shine. Everyone walks up to the tee box with the thought that they are going to make it, but sometimes we hit the dirt before our club hits the ball and we flub it. We ask for a mulligan, but know we don't get those in life. But, even if we don't hit the ball right off the tee box, we get another shot. As we approach our ball in the fairway, we get another chance to recover our worse-than-average tee shot with a swing of one of our hybrids or an iron. We line up our with our intended target, through some trees, trying to avoid the bunkers we really can't see, but know are there. Then, we look at our score card, we realize there is a dog-leg to the left. The end result is just around the corner, and we try to see the goal - whe white flag on the end of the stick that is stuck in a hole some 200 plus yards still away. So, what do we do? We take another hack at it. We take another big swing at it. The dog-leg represents what we cannot see around the corner. Maybe we see just what we can between the teaves and branches and around the bushes. There are surprises just around the corner. So, we gently make our approach shot, with our goal in sight. Just because we can see it, it doesn't mean we will succeed at getting our little ball, our little contributions to this world, in the hole. Chances are, we are going to miss. But we get closer, and closer, and closer. Finally, we succeed. We hit our mark. We have accomplished what we sought and then we realize we are not on the 18th hole. We have several more opportunities to hit our mark again. We have many chances at life to flub a shot, to excel, to do the best we can with what we have right now. Don't be afraid about what is around the corner with the dog-leg to your left...it will be ok. For what you reach for and desire will be right there waiting for you.

Rollercoaster ride

Ok, since we are on this rollercoaster of life, how are you on this ride? For a long time, I held onto the bar with both hands, with my knuckles turning white when situations or people caused stress and disappointments. The more I held on, the more I didn't feel the joy of the ride - I was too busy being afraid and hoped (ok, maybe prayed) that this ride would soon be over. That didn't happen, but I did not know what else to do. I never allowed myself the exhileration that came from the excitement of the ride itself. It seemed like every time I tried to let go of the bar holding me safe and put one arm above my head, I wouldn't give myself permission to smile or have fun. I was all business. Little moments...yes, tiny itty bitty moments would come and go, but I would dismis them, never relishing them and keeping them for very long. And who hasn't gotten sick or felt sick while they are on the ride itself? Where you just want to lean outside your car, and let the butterflies go, so to speak. When you don't live to take chances, then what do you live for? Then, at some point, you start putting your hands up above your head for those things and start to really "love the ride". It is not that you don't think about holding on to that bar, but putting your hands up feels all right too. You start to comprehend that you will not fall out, but the pure adrenaline starts to overcome any fear you may also be feeling at that same moment. We all have moments like these...where we have to be careful; are tempted to hold and let go at the very same time; let go and maybe also are going to be sick; or just roll with it and let what comes your way be your blessing. Life is a rollercoaster ride...you have the ticket...sit down...lock the bar down across your waist...and put your arms up. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Only One Way to Find Out

Have you been asking yourself some questions about how you can change your life...what you want your life to look like...what you need to do to get there? Well, YOU SHOULD BE!!! I am not talking to myself, am I? No, I did not think so. Who doesn't have questions?? Who knows all of the answers? Hopefully, the same number of hands went up both times. If your hand did not go up twice, you are not being honest with yourself. If you have questions, do you know the best way to find answers? Go get them! That's right! That is the only way you will find out. I am embarking on a new journey everyday and I learn more about people than I ever have before. I am vested and care about what makes them who they are and where they want to be. I am surprised at how many people are alot like me, the more I get to know them. We have been conditioned and learned from our past so we are "careful" now...not trusting completely, giving just enough to get by, hoping no one will notice. Is this you? More hands? "It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." If you love and lose, then you learn something. If you never love, then you also learn something. But the difference is that if you never love, you don't receive the joy, don't have the memories, don't have anything about what could've had. You have nothing if you take a chance at nothing. You cannot lose what you do not put in harm's way. You have to be willing to lay it all out there...because there is only one way to find out....

All in!

Ok, so this saying came to me over the weekend and I have been meaning to share it with you, but when I would think of it, I didn't have access to the computer or was rushing out the door. This attitude of "All in!" is one I have embraced as another motto for life. I am not much of a gambler and was not watching any poker on tv this weekend, but this still came to me. This applies to us - to our lives - to everything we desire and we have to have faith when we are committed to say, "I'm all in." It means that I believe, 100%, without a doubt that whatever I have is the BEST thing out on the table. We believe this so strongly that we are willing to chance losing everything as we have no guarantee that what we have is the best. But we have to be willing to lay it all out there. If we don't, we will never know. Sometimes, the "chips" we have at our disposal changes, because we win some and we lose some. Sometimes, even when we think what we have what it takes, someone else has been dealt something better, but we have is still pretty good and the luck just didn't fall our way. The hardest part is waiting for everyone else to show us what they have after we have decided to go "all in". We are anxious and nervous and almost cannot breath as we anticipate our fate. It can feel like time literally stood still and we "hurry up and wait". Is there something in your life that you hesitate about...that you want to commit to all the way, but are afraid of possible outcomes? You have to let go...commit all the way, without ever going back or regret, and HAVE TO go ALL IN. I have played it safe my entire life, living in a glass bubble, being protected. Now, I have plans to put all of my fears (ok, most of them :-)) aside and finally, finally, live all in. It is so liberating to say and be free of those self-imposed chains that I was shackled with for so long. I teetered on the fence about letting Rocky in and realized that I was making myself have motion sickness because of my indecisiveness. I had to choose. It was either keep to the status quo or do something different. I chose the latter and told her that I was "all in" with her today. No going back...no regrets...no safety net. Not that she didn't already know it, but I said it out loud (so it is real). At lunch, another possibility came my way unexpectedly and we will see where that takes us. As much as my stomach was turning because of the excitement and nervousness, I calmed myself when I reminded that I was "All in!" Be willing to take chances and be willing to accept when things don't go as expected, because regardless of the best planning, something will find a way to challenge you and question what you are made of and what you believe. Every struggle you face is meant to teach you a lesson...what are you supposed to learn? Find your Moxie and Go All In!

Reflection

Happy Easter to those who celebrate this day. As I watch the sun come up to the east and I see shiny spots of glistening dew on the the blades of the grass in my front yard, I reflect on life. Today, we remember what sacrifices were made on our behalf and that gives us hope. Yesterday, Rocky and I spent another good day together. For a charitable cause, we walked 25 miles in about 6 hours. It was cold and windy at times, and then I remember when the sun came out...we lifted our heads as if we were drawn to the warmth on our faces and took it all in. We were "Team Moxie" and had three other members that went with us, but they were done at the 5-mile and 10-mile marks. But Rocky and I weren't going to quit - especially when we got to mile marker 22 (or so they told us!). We learned more about each other, sang along with our ipods, and saw some pretty interesting things. Even when we were dancing to a song we liked, we didn't even care who saw us...we are at that point in our lives. Pleasing others or doing what is expected is not what guides us now. We are taking care of us first and "those that matter don't mind." They are just along for the ride. We are living our dreams and pursuing them to the fullest, with no safety net below. We understand that we may fall, but we are going to change our lives, either way. Something that is passionately driven cannot be prevented from moving forward. As you reflect on what your life is like now and compare it where you want it to be, what changes are you willing to make to make it different? Have you been stuck in a rut or settling for something less than what you desire because that is easy or you are unsure of where to start? The hardest part is always finding the courage to ask the question...whichever one you want answered. You have to listen and be open to the answer, even if it is not the answer you think it will be. Your heart will tell you everything you will need to know and it will be constant. It will not change. It will create excitement when you talk about it, even when you don't realize it. Someone told me once that she could hear the passion in my voice as I shared an idea with her, and all I could hear were the words. She told me I needed to listen to the passion and moxie that was coming through to her over the phone. Reflection is "fixing your thoughts on something or careful consideration" and as you find peace today, think about where you are and where you want to be. Live your life to the fullest, with no regrets, and be happy. My favorite thing is to see the ones I love be happy and shine while they are doing their "thing". Take the chance to not only change your life, but the lives of those around you. You never know when what you do will change the lives of others. Trust me...I have seen it first hand and it is the greatest gift you can ever give someone. You will never regret that.

What to do...

I was hoping today I would get more answers to the questions I have, yet that was not to be. Now, I have even more questions. Every scenario is playing out in my head and not sure what decision, if any, needs to made at this time. Not even sure that this is the right time to make such a decision. When I was asked a couple of weeks ago what my decision was going to be if this presented itself, I made it very clear what my decision would be. Now that I could be at that exact point, I question. I have to dig deep...I have to trust my heart...like never before. I have to be willing to lay it all out there, never sure of what tomorrow brings. I visited with an old friend today at lunch and it was so good to catch up with her. The funny thing is that we have actually known each other for years, but never really did anything socially like going to lunch before. It was nice to see J and hear what was going on in her life and share what was new in mine. Later, I sent her a text telling that it was a great lunch and she told me that I make her smile...I told her that was easy. I like easy. I read recently that nothing makes you feel better than knowing that the smile someone gives to you is probably a result of you giving them one (or something like that). I know that the answers are there for me...if I let them appear. But I have to be willing to accept them for what they are, even if I am afraid. It is hard to let go and wonder. I asked for signs all day today, hoping that the answers would come. So far, I have not seen any, but will definetely keep my eyes and ears open. Maybe they will come tomorrow when I run. Sometimes, that doesn't help - I end up with more questions. I have to have faith and believe in something not yet secure or definite. That can be hard to do. I have to believe it in order for others to believe in it. Wish me luck...stay tuned for more later. Have a wonderful evening.

Taking chances

Great morning to you all!!! Got up today and took advantage of the 30+ degree weather and am trying to get back into shape with running my normal 5 miles a day. Plus, I heard we are supposed to get a couple of inches of snow today and then maybe 6 or more by Wednesday (when is spring here?). Right now, I am feeling so good and want to share! I am at the edge of the "proverbial" pool - ready to jump in with both feet. I have shared more of my dream with my husband and as much as he supports me, he thinks I won't have time to add one more thing into my already crammed schedule. However, I know I do better with time management when I am living in "cram-mode". I have to at least give it a try. I know there are a lot of unanswered questions and even if I plan everything out, it still may not go as I thought or planned, so I have to be willing to adapt. I am sharing more of my dream with others to get their opinions and letting them see what I really want to do. I have to be willing to take those chances (I like the word "chances" instead of "risks" - sounds less riskier :-)) if I am going to change my life, and hopefully, lives of others. I worked more on my presentation this weekend with Rocky's help. She is the Queen of that Powerpoint stuff. Thanks, Rock! Even though my initial focus group might be for teenagers, she told me that she wants to hear me speak. I asked her why. Her response took me by surprise - she said she wants to hear what I say. Maybe she thinks she will learn something, too. I know she believes in me and I have other "Micks" that are in my corner, too. I sent my presentation to someone who could help me take my dream to the next level, so we will see what he thinks. I will keep you in the loop as things change. Guess what? Ask yourself what chances are you willing to take today? We all agree that there are no guarantees so you really have nothing to lose. Otherwise, regrets creep in and settle in places that are dark and never really forgotten. Believe me...Have a Marvelous Monday!!!

A chance

If we are not willing to give ourselves a chance, who will? We cannot be passive in our pursuit to find our purpose in life. As we share our stories and allow others to see where we are headed, we begin to realize we are not alone in our quest. Our hearts are showing us the way. We are compelled to listen. Complacency is not something we can accept when we are making steps to improve our lives. It is a dilusion that tricks us into believing that "this is all there is" or "this is the best it will ever be". We cannot go on living stifled, unfullfilled lives. Our capacity to impact those around us will keep us in awe of our greatness yet to be found. We are afraid to take the chance because we may get hurt or be rejected. On the other hand, we may also love and be accepted. So I ask you again...if you will not give yourself a chance, who will? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Are you willing to take that chance?