Goodbye Yesterday, Hello Tomorrow

I carelessly dove head first into the deep ocean of sorrow that I created with my own tears.

Everything I thought I had, I lost and all that was left now were endless waves of memories and regrets. My body was weak, my heart was broken and my soul had lost it's faith.  Allowing my body to go limb I sink deeper into the darkness. I now refuse to fight for my life instead I allow my lungs to be filled with the liquid of my own pain.

I embrace the pressure of the heaviness around me and sink deeper into the abyss.

As the darkness slowly took over my whole being, hope kindly whispered in my ear awakening the fighter who I had denied myself from for so long.  With the last ounce of the life left in me I frantically begun to swim toward the shimmering light at the top the ocean.  The warrior inside of me refused to allow me to sink.

In an an attempt to breath again I am reminded of my constant companion.  The shadow of the woman I once was.  The woman with a pure soul.  The woman whom I long to be again.

Today, I am blinded by the beauty of tomorrow.  I can now feel my soul reaching to the heavens above, towards the reflection of who I use to be.   The day will come when I finally reach my tomorrow and my wounds will turn into scars and those scars will turn into memories... memories of experiences that turned me into the woman that I was born to be.

My Love

Love...the most powerful emotion that a human being could ever experience.  

Provoking a storm inside of me that quenches the thirst that had immensely overwhelmed my entire being.

Love....You gift me with sense of belonging and purpose, you make me whole.

Love, you've reminded me of what matters most...

You've made human again and yet you've made me immortal in every way.

You've taken me to the moon and back and declared infinite moments filled with the creation of a lifetime filled with a thousand mystical memories.

Stay my Love... Stay for Always...

From my heart to yours,

LR

Chocolate Cake

Eating a piece of chocolate cake and I feel in heaven.  It’s been a long time since I have felt this whole… this complete.  And yet, it is not the cake or the beautiful weather or the sounds of a child’s laughter that are making me feel the utter and compete joy that I am feeling today but the acceptance of letting go of a past that had sucked me into the abyss.

It’s ironic how sometimes you find peace in the places you weren’t looking or in the people whom you wouldn’t expect to make you feel this way.

As uncommon as it has become to be able to trust in others because of all the selfishness and betrayal that exist in this world, it is imperative that we don’t forget that there are still people (many people) out there that are genuinely beautiful.  These are beings that are selfless and genuinely want the best for you. 

That’s all I have for today.  Just feeling utterly grateful and want to remind you and myself that there is a whole world out there waiting for us... a world filled with chocolate cake! ;)

From my heart to yours,

Lorena

Unconditional Love

What is unconditional love, exactly that, unconditional.

 

When you love this way, there are no restrictions, no rules, no pride, nor judgment.

 

There is nothing that the person that you love in this form can do wrong in your eyes.

 

You are willing to take on so much hurt and pain for this person.

 

Your faith and hope is above and beyond anything you have ever felt before.

 

You put them before you at all cost.

 

You forget about everything that matters to you and make sacrifices that you would never make for anyone else.

 

When the unconditional love exist for the opposite sex, everything that you are is born and exposed to them.

 

You feel as if you are on a cloud of happiness when they are with you and you feel like you can accomplish anything because they love you in return.

 

You would fight for their love and approval at all costs and you would do anything to reach into their souls in hopes that they will love you back.

 

In your eyes they are flawless and no matter how much time, pain or distance goes by, what you feel for them doesn’t change.

 

When you are with the one that owns your heart, times slips you by and you feel as if you two are the only ones in the world.

 

When you look into their eyes you could feel their soul and within your touch you can feel their entire existence.

 

All of a sudden it feels as if you knew them your whole life and there was never a division in between.

 

It feels as if they are your home and you would do anything to be wrapped in their arms.

 

When the love is mutual, no one else exists for you two, you are alone in this world filled with billions of people.

 

When the love is mutual, your words are like music to each other’s souls and your smiles and gestures are like a ballerina prancing on her home stage.

 

When the love is mutual, there is nothing that can change or divide what you feel no matter how you try to fight it.

 

No matter how many people you go through in an attempt to forget, you will always come back, because there will never be anyone that can fill the spot that your true love holds.

 

For the rest of your life your heart cringes with the thought that maybe, they no longer feel the same and you hurt when you think that they have forgotten about you.

 

The irony behind that, is that because your love is unconditional, your pain won’t matter.

Because as long as they are happy you will convince yourself that you are happy too.

 

 LRP 4/23/15

 

Kumbaya

If you are familiar with the song "Kumbaya" I am sure it is easy to picture a group of people gathered around a campfire singing in perfect harmony.  It's an image of peace and tranquility, but perhaps for some it's a silly thing that they wouldn't be caught dead doing. 

To me, the word kumbaya reminds me of peace, tranquility, love, unity, serenity...  

We are all born with our unique personalities, however I believe strongly that many of our habits are learned behaviors.  Being quick to anger, holding a grudge, hate, jealousy, stubbornness these are all learned behaviors.  I am certain that we are born with a pure heart and each of us is gifted and assigned a purpose however, circumstances allow us to mold into our environment and forget who we REALLY are.

Ever had that feeling that "you should have..." I should have allowed that person in front of me, I should have washed the dishes, I should have stopped and helped the person on the side of the road, I should have stood up for my friend, I should have taken the time to listen...  That "should have" feeling is YOU, your inner self. Some might call it conscious or subconscious.

Consider this, if you were to follow your "should haves" what is the worst that could happen? Now what is the best that could happen? Perhaps that you would feel GREAT about yourself?  Why do  you think you get that sense of accomplishment when you complete a task or project?  What about when you do something good for others?  It's because you were true to your heart (to your inner self) you followed your "should have" feeling.

There is a fire inside of you just waiting to come out.  This fire will allow for anything and everything that you dream, wish and desire and listening to your "should have" is the first step to transforming your life.  It doesn't mean that you have to become an overnight "kumbaya" sensation I'm just asking you to give your inner self a chance to express itself.  The marvelous thing about this is that YOU already have the answers!  All you need to do is tune in to your inner self and accept what your heart is tasking you with.  That my friends, is going to lead you directly to your destiny, your purpose.

Be an Optimist!

The Wall

I am an emotional and sentimental creature and because of that I’ve fallen in love hard.  Because of that I am very protective of the beings that I love and I keep my friends close.  I’ve given myself completely and I live passionately.  I would do anything and everything for others and as a mother I would lay my life for my children in a second.  I am there for my friends when they need encouragement, I cry with my sister when she is sad, I am the glue that keeps my family together.

In spite of all that, in the past I would sometimes sit and wallow in darkness.  I thought I was a worthless being with nothing to offer the world.  I couldn’t stand looking at myself in the mirror because of my size.  I felt alone and afraid.  I considered myself a “nobody”.  The insane thing was that I wasn’t a “nobody” and if you asked my family and friends they would share how “happy go lucky” “always smiling” “sweet” person I was, not a single one of them knew about the torment I would put myself through. 

We all have different reasons for ending up in this world of darkness.  This world of darkness can prove to be a difficult to come out of, but anything worth having is worth the fight, and coming out of that darkness is well worth every ounce of fight that is in you!

Believe me, I am the queen of circumstances… Circumstances have caused me enough pain to put up a wall as big as The Great Wall of China.  But one day, I realized that this wall wasn’t just “protecting” me of outsiders, it was actually keeping out the goodness of life out as well.  I realized my walls were drowning me and I was the cause of my sadness.  One day, I had to wake up and take responsibility.  I had to wake up and do something about it.  I had to allow myself to be vulnerable and I had to learn that vulnerability didn’t equal weakness.  I allowed myself to go into to deepest room of my dark place and face my demons. 

I won’t promise you that it will be easy and I won’t promise you that it will be quick, but I do promise you one thing… This side of the wall is absolutely beautiful.  This side has beaches with warm sand, and greenest grass you will ever see.  This side has opportunity and truth.  This side has family and friends.  This side has love.  This side is SAFE.

Give YOURSELF a chance.  BELIEVE IN YOU.  YOU are stronger then you can ever imagine.  YOU are smarter than you think.  YOU are creative and YOU are just… PERFECT.  You are capable of anything and everything that you set your mind to.  IT’S TIME.  It’s time to let go of your fears and insecurities.  It’s time to stop beating yourself up.  It’s time.

It’s time to start living as the creature that you have been created precisely to be.   You don’t believe me? Consider this…

Women, do you know that we have the power to cure a broken heart with a hug and a scrape with a kiss?  Did you know that ironically your soft skin has proven over and over to be as tough as steel?  Do you realize that you are a creature that loves unconditionally and that you can express anything from sadness, grief, pain, to happiness, laughter and pure joy with tears?  Do you realize that you give yourself for others constantly?  You fight when you see injustice and do whatever it takes to help your family succeed? 

Men, do you know that it is your strength that leads your family?  Do you know that because of you, your wife and children are able to sleep soundly? Do you know that because of your loyalty, honor, pride and courage everyone in America can wake up daily with the freedom of choice?

Consider this….. (fill in the blank)

 

From my heart to yours,

LRP

Don't let the moment be over before it's over...

I've spent the last 2 1/2 years going through an internal transformational phase "working on myself".  I've finally come to a realization that much of what I allowed in my life was nonessential.  Now, today, December 13, 2014 there is still much I have to learn but what I have learned and am in the process of learning I will share with you.

Opera's book "What I Know For Sure" starts with a story about how she wanted to tour with Tina Turner and when she had the opportunity she was a little insecure about dancing on stage.  It took her a second to realize that the moment was about to be over and so she enjoyed what was left of it completely.  Soon after she received a gift from Maya Angelou - a CD of a song by Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance.  When I read that I could hardly contain my tears because 8 years ago my aunt Vicky mailed me a book based on this exact song when I was going through my 2nd battle against Cancer.

I am until this day learning how to dance everyday of my life.  I have come to a realization that at the end of our days the memories that we made with our loved ones are the ones that will matter.  I am learning to look at myself in the mirror fully not just on the outside but on the inside.  Our inside is what counts but the tricky part is not just looking, but accepting and be willing to change what we know is wrong. 

I am not near perfect but I refuse to give up.  I refuse to give up because I know that I want to be able to stare at death in the face and say "bring it on" because I've lived a full life, I've helped people around the world, I've raised my children, I've inspired, I've laughed until my face hurt, I've cried out of pure joy, I've danced every day of my life.  And for those moments I will not give up.

There is much to do my friends.  Come, make every moment count... Join us in this wonderful thing called LIFE.

From my heart to yours,
LRP

Life Happens

Ever heard the expression "life happens"? 
 

As your life is "happening" stop and ask yourself this question,  AM I HAPPY?   If you know in your heart of hearts that there is more out there, if you feel it in your gut... stop and recognize that it's your purpose yelling at you to wake the heck up!
 

John Maxwell says that often it's the little things that we allow to consume our lives.   We get so "busy" that we become busy bodies.   Ever heard of that?   You're basically going through life being efficiently busy.   You might think that efficient is good,  don't get me wrong because it is, however  what good is it to be efficient when you're not effective?

Here's my point, LIFE IS GRAND. I'd like for you to give it a try.   I'd like for you to stop with the routine.   I'd like for you to stop hiding.   I'd like for you to start developing your purpose.

It's ok to start simple.   Do some brainstorming first.   Sit down and create a spider outline of the things that make you happy.   From there break each one down.   Don't be generic!  Reach down into the depths of your soul and think about the happiest moments of your life.  Then make a separate spider outline with the things that move you.   The things in this world that make you boil inside.   The things that you wish you could change.   The things that ignite your fire.  Then look at the two lists and connect them.   Chances are that your purpose,  your calling, will jump out at you instantly.  
 

Here's the thing,  you already know what your purpose is,  you just forgot.   So remind yourself and start doing what it takes to get closer to living out your purpose!

Going through the motions of life without living with purpose is like saving tons of money to enjoy a the trip of a life time, packing your bags,  being on a plane for 18 hours, just to arrive to never leave the airport because you immediately catch the next plane back home.

Enjoy that $100,000 vacation you planned!   Keep going,  don't stop and more certainly DON'T EVER GIVE UP!
 

 

 

From my heart to yours,

LRP

Mediocrity

 

Do IT

Waste

What a waste to have been gifted with a talent and refuse to use it.

What a waste to have knowledge and refuse to share it.

What a waste to have something that someone needs and refuse to offer it.

What a waste to have been blessed but refuse to be a blessing for others.

What a waste to receive love but refuse to love in return.

What a waste when your heart tugs at you to perform a good deed and we ignore it.

What a waste when the whole day passes without doing something selfless.

What a waste when we don’t smile.

What a waste when we don’t speak up.

What a waste when we allow ourselves to live by fear.

What a waste when we refuse to look at the good side of life.

What a waste when we surround ourselves with negativity.

What a waste when we refuse to pick up a book.

What a waste when we don’t slow down and enjoy the beauty around us.

 

Stop wasting your life away, we only have a certain amount of tomorrows.

A Nurse I Know

I humbly post this beautiful story written by a dear friend of mine whom I look up to and have a deep respect for.  Sometimes we don't realize the impact we have on others and this story proved that for me.  LRP

 

 

A Nurse I know:

I know of a “Nurse” that works in an environment that is stressful, painful and sad. At least that’s what most people’s sentiments are. This is no ordinary nurse, she has strength, courage & confidence beyond the norm and has the ability to cure those seeking and needing to be cured. What makes this Nurse extraordinary is that she did not receive her education in nursing nor in trade school.

This Nurse has been given her gifts and talents from a different source, a higher source, a higher power, a higher education. What makes this true story more inspiring is this Nurse does not work in a hospital or clinic. She works for the CEO of CEO’s, the Boss of Boss’s, the King of Kings, she is doing God’s providential work by her Purpose.

Lorena a two-time cancer survivor and a young mom of three adorable kids, could have chosen to rest and recover from her treatment, stay home, do nothing and deservingly so. Lorena,  instead of laying soaking or worrying,  puts on her Warrior suit, her “Nurse’s” outfit, her Facilitator of Hope Armor and starts a support group, a group for cancer patients, for those going through a similar fight that she went through, the biggest bought there is, the fight for your life. Lorena could have stopped there and being the Purposeful blessing she is, would leave her Armor and Outfits on. Again, Lorena could have chosen to stay home, however her providential quest was CALLING. Not letting her restricted finances get in her way, Lorena would conduct toy drives. Toy drives for the little souls that would not have received toys for Christmas otherwise.

You see, Lorena is a healer of pain, lifter of stress, enlightener of sadness, and a facilitator of hope. Lorena relieved some of the pain of those undergoing treatment and letting them know there is hope, hope for a brighter future. Lorena relieved the sadness of those little kids not knowing if they would get a visit from Santa Claus, however Lorena is one for their cause.

Lorena’s work you see is not in a Hospital, her work is in the place we call Life. Thanks to her, we can say this world is a little better.

7 years later, a healthy Lorena continues to help and support others.

Not Cancer, Not Again...

Soaking wet in my tiny one person shower I exclaimed to Him and begged him to guide me.  I was diagnosed once again with a more aggressive cancer and I frankly didn’t have time to deal with this sickness.  My son was in 1^st grade, my daughter in pre-kinder and my youngest at home with me.  What in the world was I going to do?  And why had it come back?  I thought I had beaten this thing two years ago!  I began to exclaim…

“Dear Lord, I beg you to please show me what it is that you need from me!  Please God!  There is obviously something I didn’t learn the first time.  Oh gosh, I can’t do this… You know I will not dare ask you why because I believe that you have your reasons but really…. Please! I am only 27 years old what do I need to learn from this?” 

 I begged and begged for an answer.  I instinctively knew that this wasn’t going to kill me however; I had already dealt with this and was feeling so lost, scared and confused.  I realized that I hadn’t learned whatever I was supposed to learn the first time and so I begged for an answer, a sign… something. 

 As gentle as an evening breeze, as warm as the sun on a cold day, in the softest of voices He whispered in my ear, “Ven a mi y yo te librare” (Come to me and I will liberate you).  I immediately pulled the shower curtain open thinking my husband had heard me crying out to Him and was playing a joke on me, no one was there.  I opened the door where my husband stood only a few feet away and I accusingly asked if he had just been in the restroom to which he replied “No, what’s wrong!?”  I had grown pale and weak and was in shock.  I had just been blessed with a direct visit from our Creator of which I was not worthy.

 For the next couple weeks, I cried in the shower, I cried in the car, I cried every moment I was alone and I silently cried myself to sleep every night.  I was horrified trying to figure out how I was going to be treated since our medical insurance had denied me coverage due to a preexisting condition and I didn’t qualify for government assistance either.  In front of my friends and family I was all smiles and secretly, I was falling apart inside.

Emily ~ 3 years old

 One day soon after the shower experience I was in the bath tub with my daughter Emily who was 3 years old at the time.  I lay there and watched this little angle play with the bubbles she had to have in her bath every time.  Lost in thought I was caught off guard when she looked up at me with her huge brown eyes and said, “Mommy, say God Rules”  I was surprised as I am ashamed to say even though we believe in God, we hadn’t installed a belief in her innocent mind yet.  I replied in a quiet tone while she continued to play nonchalantly with her bubbles “God Rules” then she said “Mommy, say God Cares”…. Uh, “God cares…” and she then looked up at me and pierced me with her eyes, firmly demanding “Now say, God is HERE”.  Until this day I don’t remember if I ever responded to her last request because I was in such shock and I knew right there and then that everything that I had been stressing about and what I had been telling people about how everything was fine and that I felt great, was going to come true.  I knew that this disease was not going to kill me and that I had way too much to take care of to go home at such a young age. 

 So, I put my warrior armor on and I begun to fight this disease once again, head on and at full force.  Little did I know this was only the beginning of a long battle yet to come…

From my heart to yours,
LRP

Newfound Freedom

I am finally free.

The childhood nightmare that tormented me
well into adulthood.

The confusion and despair that my mind carried
for so many years.

The pain and anger that lingered within my heart.

It is all gone.

My soul rejoices its new found freedom.

True happiness is now here and for the first time I see the colors of the world.

The purity in the face of a content soul. 

The sound of a child's laughter.

The warmth the sun offers and the breeze that
whispers to me.

All of this that I use to take for granted,
I can now enjoy with clarity.

I have been given an opportunity to be
a part of something great,

that something is we call LIFE.  
I have no right to waste it.

I no longer doubt who I am
and in my ability to be exceptional.

I choose today and always to be a continuous learner and lend a hand to those in need.

When it's my turn to make space for the next to come, I WILL leave a legacy.
I will live out this newfound freedom.

 

LRP

Pursuit of Happiness

We’ve all heard of the Pursuit of Happiness (I’m not talking about the movie, even though I highly recommend you watch it).  As we go through our lives searching for the “thing” that makes us happy we go and buy stuff that we don’t need, to impress people that don’t care or maybe we look for happiness in another human being.  Although those things can make us very happy they are not our happiness.  What took me 33 years to realize is that my happiness is in MY hands, by MY choice, by MY actions.

Seven years ago I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for the second time, the most curable of cancers according to my oncologist.  When you are diagnosed with cancer, one of the first things that your oncologist will do is stage it.  That just means that they need to figure out how aggressive the cancer is and how far it has spread.  Being a two time cancer survivor I have been staged at a one and two years later at IIA (2A).  The things that I had to experience in order to get my body healthy again are some that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.  However, I will tell you that I am grateful for those experiences more today than I have ever been.  As I mentioned to a couple of friends today, not only do these life experiences teach you more about who you are, they also force you to appreciate the small things in life.

In realizing that dying was not an option, I started searching for more.  More of what? You might wonder… more of anything and everything.  I instinctively knew that even though my life had been spared once for a reason there was an obvious message that I still hadn't received, and I was going to do whatever it took to find out what that was.  In the meantime, I made it a point to get closer to Him, (because let’s face it that’s what some of us do when we are desperate).  And in doing that, I ended up at a church my aunt had invited me to.  At the end of the service, the pastor approached me and said something like this… you know Lorena, you are one of the luckiest persons on earth.  I immediately thought “really? You jerk, I have cancer how lucky is that?”  Obviously I didn’t dare say that aloud.  The pastor must have read my thoughts or facial expression because he then said the following…  You have been chosen to go through this struggle, it’s not going to be easy and there will be days when you want to give up but you have to remember this…  You have been chosen because you are not only strong enough to survive this but you will be an inspiration to many who are going through their own struggles.  You will be a giver of hope.  You will be an example of strength. 

On my hour drive home I gave this some thought and until this very day I allow myself to think of this moment.  I don’t know what moved this man (yes I do) to convey this message to me, but it’s no coincidence that the people around me started flocking to me and talking about how much I had inspired them to be strong through their divorce and/or how I had given them a different perspective on what they thought were “real” issues.  And my favorite was when people would tell me that looking at me made them realize that “if I could do it, they could do it too.”

I am now a two time cancer survivor and have been in remission for almost 7 years, but honestly I had to go back in time to give you that number because I am NOT counting.  I have learned so much especially in the last 2 years and I’ve finally accepted my purpose and have embraced it completely.   I will do whatever it takes to help people reach their full potential in life.  I will be that beacon of hope.  I will deliver what has been requested from me and that is to remind us that we are capable of living our lives to its fullest and we are capable of being our ultimate and happiest self if only we allow it.  In 2006 and 2008 the word STAGE meant a “bad” thing… it brought fear because it would confirm “how bad it was” or how “aggressive” the cancer was.  Nowadays the word STAGE is a beautiful thing… The STAGE is where I will be very soon, spreading my message of life.

From my heart to yours,
LRP

Only the beginning of the 4 year battle

The unique smell that you can only find in cold sterilized buildings had become too familiar to her, instantly reminding her of the taste of iodine and chemotherapy her eyes swelled up with tears, she was having a weak moment.  At 24 years of age she had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and her Oncologist broke the news to her by saying it was the most curable type of cancers out there.  She had been walking down this same isle everyday for the last couple of months, but today she just didn't feel like being strong.  She thought of the nurse that had told her just a few months back while giving birth to now her 7 month old daughter, "honey don't worry all mothers leave their dignity in the hospital!" referring to her shyness in having to allow the head nurse to check how close to giving birth she was.  

Radiation consisted of her laying on her back completely still and naked from the waste up while the platform she lay on swayed her according to the specifications the Radiologist had entered.  She was so sick of it, the mere smell of the gown made her want to throw up.  She was so exhausted of working full time and caring for 3 children, but she was most tired of pretending to be strong.  Don't cry she told herself... Don't start because if you start you won't be able to stop.

LRP

The Virtue Of A Woman

The Virtue Of A Woman

When God created woman he was working later on the 6th day.

An angel came by and said: "Why spend so much time on that one?"

And the Lord answered:

"Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her? She must be washable, but not made of plastic, have more than 200 moving parts which all must be replaceable and she must function on all kinds of food, she must be able to embrace several kids at the same time, give a hug that can heal anything from a bruised knee to a broken heart and she must do all this with only two hands."

The angel was impressed. "Just two hands...impossible! And this is the standard model? Too much work for one day...wait until tomorrow and then complete her."

"I will not", said the Lord. "I am so close to completing this creation, which will be the favorite of my heart. She cures herself when sick and she can work 18 hours a day."

The angel came nearer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord."

"She is soft", said the Lord, "But I have also made her strong. You can't imagine what she can endure and overcome."

"Can she think?" the angel asked.

The Lord answered: "Not only can she think, she can reason and negotiate."

The angel touched the woman's cheek. "Lord, it seems this creation is leaking! You have put too many burdens on her."

"She is not leaking...it's a tear" the Lord corrected the angel.

"What's it for?" asked the angel.

And the Lord said, "Tears are her way of expressing grief, her doubts, her love, her loneliness, her suffering and her pride."

This made a big impression on the angel; "Lord, you are genius. You thought of everything. The woman is indeed marvelous!"

"Indeed she is! Woman has strengths that amaze man. She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens. She holds happiness, love and opinions. She smiles when feeling like screaming. She sings when she feels like crying, cries when she is happy and laughs when she is afraid.

She fights for what she believes in. Stands up against injustice. She doesn't take "no" for an answer, when she can see a better solution. She gives herself so her family can thrive. She takes her friend to the doctor if she is afraid. Her love is unconditional.

She cries when her kids are victorious. She is happy when her friends do well. She is glad when she hears of a birth or a wedding. Her heart is broken when a next of kin or friend dies. But she finds the strength to get on with life. She knows that a kiss and a hug can heal a broken heart.

There is only one thing wrong with her…

SHE FORGETS WHAT SHE IS WORTH."

 

Thanks to:

http://successnet.org/

 

Still Clinging On To Yesterday?

There have been times that life has thrown us a curve ball.  Sometimes that curve ball hits us right in the face, hard.  The initial blow will have us go through different phases such as pain, anger, sadness and eventually in some cases acceptance.  However, sometimes we allow pain to linger longer than it should; our anger turns into resentment and sadness turn into depression. 

As we start the grieving process we must allow ourselves to move on.  As painful as your situation might have been you need to realize that it’s passed and there isn’t anything that happens to us that we can’t learn from.

You might be thinking right now that I don’t know what it feels like to have lost a loved one, or to fear the person who is supposed to protect you;  you might think that I don’t know what it feels like to fear for your life and or what it feels like to be physically, verbally and sexually abused.  And even then these are not the worst things that have happened to one human being.  There are many people out there that have had a much more challenging life than mine. 

Many of us allow these events in our lives to affect us for years.  We carry it with us on a daily basis, we have nightmares of our abuser, we are resentful against those who we thought should have protected us.  We are angry with ourselves for not doing more about it.  We take it out on others who don’t deserve it.  We put up invisible walls and refuse to let the world in.  We convince ourselves that we are not worthy of happiness.   Ultimately we punish ourselves for the sins of others.

Don’t allow that to be you.  Don’t allow yourself to carry the past around for another minute.  Whatever experiences your life has brought you, allow yourself to learn from them.  Turn anger into passion and passion into visions, turn visions into goals and goals into realities! Let go of the past and embrace your future!

 

LRP

So, you think you're trapped?

How many times have you felt trapped, disillusioned, disappointed and afraid?  These are common feelings that we have all experienced at one point or another during our life time.  How would you like to go through life never having to experience those feelings again?   What do you think you need to do or have in order to get rid of these feelings?  Some of you might think, “If I was rich I would never feel disappointed” or “If I was the number one sales person, I would never feel like a failure”…  While these two ideas are great and I encourage you to reach your goals, I want you to understand that while you are committing yourself to your goals you have a choice to never feel these feelings again.

Our whole entire existence is based off of the choices that we make.  Let’s use the often used phrase; “stuck in a dead end job” are you really stuck?  Do you have a choice to do whatever it takes to move on?  YES!  The easy way is to make excuses for yourself or rationalize why you can’t leave that dead end job.  If you take a moment to consider all the choices you have without making excuses or lying rationally (rationalize) to yourself, I am willing to bet that you will find more than one other choice to whatever situation you are in.

Now just to clarify, I am not telling you to quit your job that in your opinion is a “dead end job” because even though that might be your perception when and if you pay close attention you might find that there are opportunities that you had never seen before.

This goes for any situation in life.  The girlfriend that is with the abusive boyfriend or vice versa…    The person who feels lonely… The mother who has a disrespectful teenager… The manager who has a challenging employee… and the list goes on and on.

We can choose to look at any difficult situation and mope about it day in and day out OR we can choose take a microscope and look deeply into what choices we have to change it.  If you are able to turn your attitude instantly into an optimistic one and believe that you are capable of anything that you put your mind to, you will realize that your whole life is about the choices that you made.  Don’t you dare say, it’s too late for me, I’ve already screwed up too much, I can’t fix this...  Those are excuses and an excuse is always the easy way out. 

 

Consider the following and start making the right choices TODAY! 

#1 Change your attitude about the way you see things.

#2 Stop making excuses.

#3 Create the change you want to see in yourself.

#4 Don’t ever, EVER give up!


LRP