Category: Wisdom Wednesday

Bridges

inspiringmax

Oprah arrives in Australia today so I thought it might be fun to take some of her sage advice and make it this weeks Wisdom Wednesday’s quote.

Oprah bridges

Oprah’s quote is very powerful and one I agree with. Sometimes despite the grass seeming to be greener on the other side making a decision to cross or remove any option of crossing in the future is difficult. Sometimes you  have to get advice from the experts, weigh up the pros and cons and then take a leap of faith. Either way it’s not simple. But to move forward you have to make a choice—one way or the other.

Writer’s Well

inspiringmax

Writing

 

I came across this powerful quote from Ernest Hemmingway recently and realised how true it is for all types of writing. Have you ever noticed that it is much easier to start writing if you have an idea—a starting point—something in your writing well. By following Ernest Hemmingway’s advice you will always have an idea in your writing well that after you have slept on it helps to clarify your thoughts and produce more ideas.

Much of my writing follows this principle as I leave it overnight and review it in the morning. The time overnight helps the writing develop like yeast to a much fuller story.

What writing tips do you use to help your flow and story develop?

Change Direction

inspiringmax

Quote

What do you want out of life? Are you on track or are you guessing the route? Don’t rely on a map or someone else’s direction to get you to where you want to go. Make you own enquirers, check the information and follow-up if necessary.

We are currently exploring Canada relying on maps and other people’s instructions.They are not always as clear as they seem. We have often thought we were on the right track, but after double and triple checking realised  we were not. We needed to change direction to reach our destination.

Don’t be afraid of change.  Make any changes necessary, to make sure  you are headed in the direction of your dreams.

Choices

inspiringmax

Untitled

Everyday we make choices.This classic Dr Suess quote reminds us that we can achieve our goals by carrying through with our choices. It is as simple as:

1. Make a decision about what you want to do and how you want to do it.

2. Use your feet to follow through with your body, in whatever way is needed to act on your choice.

3. Remember—its your choice. Steer yourself as needed and you can change your choice, any time you choose.

Who said life has to be complicated. Sometimes, it is important to remember to break things down to their simplest level.

Gratitude

inspiringmax

Oprah

 

Gratitude is infectious. Give thanks at every opportunity. The more you do it, the more you will find to be grateful for. Start small. With practice, you will begin to realise that the things you feel negative about can be redefined. You choose the way you look at every situation. For example, instead of focusing on how stressful your work is and all the things it doesn’t have—choose to make a list of all the things about your job that you are grateful for. Some examples may be:

I have a job

It pays me regularly—providing money for housing, food, bills and my current lifestyle

I have friends at work I can talk to

My job has taught me

  • how to use a computer and computer programs
  • time management
  • conflict resolution skills
  • customer service
  • organisational skills
  • presentation skills
  • personal resilience
  • complaints management
  • stress management
  • documentation
  • Occupational Health & Safety legislation
  • boundaries
  • people skills

It gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning

Provides me with annual leave, sick leave, long service leave and superannuation

Take up Oprah’s challenge. Make a decision today to start focusing on all that you are grateful for in your life. Gratitude is a feeling and focusing on it will lift your mood, allowing you to see more things to be grateful for in your life. As you become more grateful for things in and around your life, you will begin to be able to see things to be grateful for in negative situations, even tragedies.

Have fun

inspiringmax

 

Do you take time out each day to have fun or play? Playing doesn’t need to be a planned event, it can be done in several ways, alone as well as by connecting with others. Consider some of the following ways to add daily fun to your life:

  • Sharing a joke with family, friends and colleagues
  • Playing games—card games, board games, computer games, or gaming consoles
  • Playing social sports
  • Allowing yourself to be adsorbed by dancing or singing to your favourite loud music
  • Do something different and out of the ordinary like playing in puddles or skipping in the rain
  • Watch your favourite comedy shows and enjoy the humour and belly laughs
  • Play with children or pets
  • Go to the local park and swing on the swings or enjoy a slide on the slippery dip
  • Enjoy a holiday or mini break to a theme park—you don’t need to have children with you to go on the rides
  • Go to the movies and be absorbed in the surround sound
  • Take up a new sport or join a club

By  not taking yourself so seriously for at least five or ten minutes hopefully longer, you can recharge your mind, reduce your stress and improve your mental health. Playing brings people together and helps to strengthen family, friendships and teams.

Consider ways that you can add more fun to your life. Think outside the box, connect with your true self and grow through play and having fun.

Just Start

inspiringmax

Zig Ziglar

 

Are you waiting for you path to have all the green lights in a row before you start your journey?Don’t. It will stop you from reaching your goal. Start somewhere. It is only by doing that you figure out the best path to take to reach your goal.Set your sights on finishing each task you begin. Leaving things half complete disempowers you. Keep going and finish where you originally planned. When you reach your goal reassess your situation and see if there is a further goal to set. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there, you still get there if you start and keep working at it.

For me starting this blog took months in the planning stage, but I still needed to set it up and start blogging. I had no idea where to start I just did it. I slowly gathered momentum and then stopped when life got in the way. This meant that I needed to start again, which I did a fortnight ago. In this time I have learnt more about the realities of building a blog than I could have ever planned for. I now understand this blog is a work in progress and will take time to develop. My current goal is to interact daily with as many people as possible, grow my audience and develop a strong voice online.

If I had waited to know exactly what I was doing before I started, I wouldn’t be reaping the rewards from blogging that I am today. Listen to Zig Ziglar’s advice—start anywhere, it doesn’t matter where, then you will have the opportunity to finish where you want or need to.

The World Needs Your Smile

inspiringmax

Smile

 

Smiling is a universal language, everyone can speak. A smile says:

  • Hi
  • I understand
  • Have a nice day
  • It can be a way of sharing a joke or passion without saying a word
  • It connects you with others

A smile can change your mood, even if it is forced. Next time you see someone not smiling, give them one of yours—it can be infectious. When someone doesn’t want to acknowledge you, the more you acknowledge them by smiling at them, the harder it is for them to continue to ignore you. Your welcoming smile can break down barriers, so spread some sunshine around today.

 

Take a Risk

inspiringmax

Walt Disney

Have you every wanted to do something new but became stuck because you feared failing or falling down. Nothing is ever achieved without taking a risk—being vulnerable—possibly falling. Walt Disney’s advice is as relevant today as when it was written. Remember, it is what you learn from falling and getting back up that matters. Yes, at times you may be frustrated and your pride may be a little battered, but look back after you get up, shake yourself off and see what you have achieved. Learning what not to do is as important as learning what to do. Sometimes we only think we know the best way to do something and by falling we are shown a better way. One that we would have missed had we stayed on our feet.

Do whatever it takes to step out of your comfort zone.  Start by taking baby steps, if necessary, towards your short, medium or long term goals. There are many safe ways to fall, take chances and get back up quickly if you want to soften your landing. Get advice from others who may already be on your journey, but in the end you need to manage your fears and take a risk.

Getting Through Tough Times

inspiringmax


Everyone has them, “tough times”. They cannot be avoided however,during my latest run of “tough times” I discovered a powerful quote by St Francis of Assisi which really helped.

 

St Francis Quote

 

Following St Francis of Assissi’s  advise makes it easier not to get overwhelmed during difficult times. Sometimes at the start of a crisis, very little is possible.  All you can do is absorb what has happened. This is true particularly when coping with the loss of a loved one or friend. Allow yourself to be in shock, numb and use this time to make a basic plan of what needs to be done. Remember, although you may want everything fixed instantly, somethings can’t be rushed and healing takes time.

As time passes, the actual time elapsed will vary for everyone, you will move from only dealing with the necessities to looking into new possible ways of  getting through your “tough time.” The healing will be commencing and if you are coping with a loss of a loved one or friend, you can remember the good times and using laughter, you can help your body heal.

Eventually, looking back you realise that you have done the impossible and although your world has changed forever, you have recovered from your “tough time” and you have grown as a person in the process. This is the silver lining to your dark cloud, and helps you to realise that you are stronger than you think.

Thanks for the advice St Francis.