Archived Writings - ‘Life Lessons’

The Breadcrumb Trail

Monday, February 18th, 2013

 

Breadcrumbs

Last week during a presentation to the Missoula Businesswomen’s Network (MBN), I told the story of how I came to be connected with MBN. Two and a half years ago, I met Lois. Then almost one year ago, Lois introduced me to Karen. I then met DeDe through the Lois/Karen connection. DeDe invited me to speak at the February MBN luncheon.

 

Retrospectively, there is always a clear trail that takes you to where you currently are. With hindsight, the trail is easy to see. The connections are obvious – it’s like following a breadcrumb trail.

 

But at each intermediate step, it’s impossible to know where you’ll end up. You just have to trust the process.

 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could simply learn to trust the trail?
Wouldn’t it be better if each breadcrumb along the way was savored – with the knowledge that it’s taking you where you need to go?
Are you following the breadcrumb trail?

 

Trusting and enjoying are relatively easy in hindsight.
The challenge is to trust and enjoy the present.

 

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Deciding

Thursday, December 20th, 2012

 

Lots_Of_Feathers-Deciding

Imagine you’re sitting on the same park bench I described in my last post. You are still minding your own business. But instead of a single feather landing at your foot, there are now dozens – or even hundreds – of feathers scattered about your feet.

 

How do you decide which feather, or feathers, to pick up?

 

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Randomness

Monday, December 17th, 2012

 

A feather suddenly appears from seemingly nowhere. Artist Credit: Gary Yakima Geyer

A feather suddenly appears from seemingly nowhere. Artist Credit: Gary Yakima Geyer

Imagine you’re sitting on a park bench. You are minding your own business. Maybe you’re waiting for a bus … or maybe you’re just idly sitting … daydreaming.

 

Off in the distance, unbeknownst to you, a feather is floating through the air. The feather is very light. Its flight is influenced by greater forces. It is pushed and propelled along its journey by the breezes and winds.

 

You are completely unaware of the feather’s existence until the last possible moment. That moment occurs when the feather suddenly appears floating in front of you. Gravity gently pulls the feather down. It lands at your feet.

 

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Where You Scared?

Monday, December 10th, 2012

 

Were_You_Scared?

Jenny asking Forrest if he was ever scared.

When Forrest was caring for the dying Jenny, Jenny suddenly asked Forrest, “Were you scared in Vietnam?”

 

Forrest immediately answers, “Yes.”

 

He then equivocates, “Well, I … I don’t know.”

 

It seems to me that we’re all scared at the instinctual level.

 

It doesn’t matter if the issue is relationships, the kids, your job, a new client, actively participating in your community, or simply picking up the phone and making a call that needs to be made. Our first instinct is typically one of fear.

 

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One Day, I Decided to Go for a Little Run

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

 

Sometimes all you need to do is stand up to get started.

Sometimes all you need to do is stand up to get started.

In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest was sitting quietly in his thoughts on his front porch. He was gloomy over the fact that Jenny had left him. What had previously been the happiest time of his life was now just a raw memory.

 

What Forrest did next is what we often need to do when we find ourselves stuck, uncertain, a little bit blue, or lacking direction.

 

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The Evil Eye

Monday, December 3rd, 2012

 

Forrest-Evil-Eye

In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest gives the evil eye to Jenny’s hippie-peacenik-boyfriend as they board the bus back to Berkeley.

 

Two things about Forrest’s glare are worth noting.

 

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Are America’s Best Days Over?

Thursday, November 15th, 2012

 

90649-20121112

According to a Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey published on Sunday, November 10, 2012, forty-five percent (45%) of Likely U.S. Voters feel that America’s best days are in the past, but nearly as many (43%) think they are in the future. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure.

 

Or put another way, roughly one-half of the U.S. population sees the glass half empty, while the other half sees the glass half full.

 

I don’t know what the historical averages in the U.S. are for optimism/pessimism, but as an optimist, I find these numbers disturbing.

 

Clearly, we are a divided country politically. Now I learn we’re a divided country attitudinally.

 

So what can you do?

 

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Lifelong Learning

Monday, November 12th, 2012

 

Life_Long_Learning

If life is a journey, then a mindset of continuous learning makes sense.
And if life is a journey, then regularly taking action to adjust one’s course, based on the new knowledge, seems beneficial.

 

If the goal isn’t necessarily to get somewhere, but rather to enjoy the road being traveled, then all new learning becomes welcome, joyous, and extremely valuable.

 

If each life chapter is its own mini-journey along the bigger road of one’s life journey, then learning today prepares you for the next fork in the road … or the next new opportunity.

 

All learning today prepares you for tomorrow.
All learning today establishes a foundation for what you’ll learn and use tomorrow.
All learning today is a down payment for a knowledge-filled future.

 

It seems smarter to be a lifelong learner, rather than someone who already knows it all.

 

Are you a lifelong learner?

 

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It’s Been 3 Years, 3 Days, 3 Hours, and 3 Minutes

Thursday, November 8th, 2012

 

Life is a journey

Life is a journey

You may remember that Forrest Gump ran across America four times. And it took him 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours … and … he just felt like running!

 

Well it’s been 3 years, 3 days, 3 hours, and 3 minutes since I posted my first blog. OK, the 3 hours and 3 minutes may not be exact, but the 3 years and 3 days is precise to the day.

 

Here is what I’ve learned.

 

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Live a Gump-like Life

Thursday, October 18th, 2012

 

Simple, kind, open-minded, persistent, & forgiving.

Simple, kind, open-minded, persistent, & forgiving.

Forrest Gump lived a gump-like life.

 

In fact, Forrest invented what it means to be gump-like.

 

Simple.
Kind.
Open-minded.
Persistent.
Forgiving.

 

The result was peace. Forrest had peace of mind.
Another result was love. Love for himself. Love for others.
The final result was Gumption. Gumption that leads to success.

 

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