Think Small!

 Think Small           

Let me give you two words which are the key to success -- THINK SMALL! I can just hear many of you now as you exclaim – Wait a minute! I thought we were supposed to think big and have bigger-than-life dreams and a gigantic vision! If you’ve read any of the ever-popular “how to succeed” books or heard many motivational speakers, that is, in fact, the message you will most often hear – Think Big!

Now, I must admit I believe there are really four words which lead to success – Dream Big; Think Small. You must indeed have a dream which requires you to stretch, grow and get out of your comfort zone.

I once heard a wonderful statement: “The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream…dreams are the seedlings of realities.” So yes, you must first spend some time visualizing, desiring and prayerfully asking for your dream to come true!

However, many people can get overwhelmed at the magnitude of a big dream. Let’s say you want to start your own business. That’s awesome! And it’s also a Big Dream. You can quickly become stuck in all the thoughts, doubts and questions which come rushing to your mind. “Do I have enough money?” “Will people actually buy what I’m selling?” “How will I plan and market?”

Often, the interns I supervise want to open a counseling practice after graduating with their Master’s Degree in Counseling. As soon as they’ve stated their goal, it seems they encounter such seemingly huge questions and obstacles very quickly.   From there, procrastinating quickly becomes very appealing! And before you know it, that dream has taken a back seat to daily living and finding a job just to make money.

So, I advise them to do what I’m encouraging you to look at here; think small - start with an action to be taken today or this week.

A good way to remember the steps involved in thinking small is to look at the acronym SPAM. Yes, looking at that can of potted meat can help you get started. Here’s what the letters stand for:

                                                                                      S = Small and Specific                 

                                                                                  P = Practical

                                                                                  A = Achievable

                                                                                  M = Measurable

A counseling intern with the goal to start a counseling business can use this in the following way:

S = Small & Specific:   This week, I will talk to a therapist who’s already established a counseling practice.

P = Practical questions to answer include the well-known journalism questions: who, what, where, when, how?

•  Who? Identify the counselor
•  What? Set up an appointment to interview that person.
•  Where? Will you take them to lunch? Or you could meet for coffee or come to the established counselor’s office.
•  When? Determine the best time to meet, as well as the amount of time he or she has available.
•   How? Write down questions you wish to have answered – come prepared!

A = Achievable = Knowing yourself as you do, is this goal achievable? If you have something else going on this week, it’s not – and you will need to come up with an alternative.

M = Measurable = At this time, you’ve moved beyond the “thinking” stage, and your action steps need to be measurable. You might want to enlist the help of someone to keep you accountable.

From that first week of action, the intern can set up the next goal to be achieved, step by step. The journey of a thousand steps just started, and the dream of becoming a practicing therapist is beginning to unfold!

No matter what you want to achieve, remember this:

Dream Big; Think Small and SPAM goals are a good way to get started!

What do you do when you don't know what to do? Steps 3-5

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO?

 Step 3: Take A Risk

When the future is unknown, stepping out in faith can be a scary thing. (It was for me!) Even if you’ve identified gifts and applied what you know, you still have to face many unknowns! But stepping out of your comfort zone to try something new can lead to rewarding results!

“Susan” started working out at the gym as a way to deal with anxiety and stress. However, because of her anxiety, she was very uncomfortable around other people, and going to a gym was definitely stepping out of her comfort zone! However, she not only found it helped manage her worries, but stated she took to it “like a fish to water.” She also quickly discovered that when she focused on exercising, she didn’t think about her social phobia. She faced her fear, which led to her running a marathon, losing over 100# and ultimately teaching a class at that gym. Susan took a risk – and she was ecstatic that she did!

Step 4: Sometimes You’re Right; Sometimes You’re Not.

In life, when you take a chance, you might fail. Or you might quickly succeed. More than likely though, you, like most successful people, will experience some set-backs before you’re where you want to be. What do Henry Ford, Bill Gates and Walt Disney have in common? They failed many times before they succeeded!

It’s true there are no guarantees, but “nothing ventured, nothing gained,” as the old saying goes. Why, then, is “venturing” often so difficult?

Some people can’t stand the thought of being wrong and just get frozen with fear. Their imagination begins to work over-time and they foresee all sorts of dire consequences if they step out into the unknown.

To overcome such anxiety, it helps to think through the “worst-case scenario.” You ask yourself, “If the worst happened, what would I do? How would I react?” In Susan’s case, she came up with a back-up plan. “If I get to the gym and feel so anxious I can’t stay, I’ll go home.” Having a back-up plan gave her the confidence to keep going to the gym. And guess what? Susan never had to use her back-up plan!

Step 5: Find Your Way Step By Step

An exciting thing happens when you begin to see what God had planned for you all along!

Two years before moving to Denver, my husband and I began to feel change was in the air. My husband began to paint and prepare our house to sell, and I checked into joining a speaker’s bureau, as I was ready to branch out from my private counseling practice in Pueblo, and start giving workshops and seminars. We mentioned to our in-laws in Denver what we were feeling.

A few months later, my brother in law asked if I wanted to come to Denver to establish a counseling ministry at a church there. He told us, “If you hadn’t mentioned a possible move, I would never have asked you, as I thought you guys were firmly established in Pueblo.” We began to see that surely our steps were ordered by God, as small steps led to others!

And for me - this was something different – a risk, for sure! But I decided to take the challenge and I’m so glad I did!

As we look back now, we saw God’s hand moving us to Denver, step by step. We couldn’t see the end result, but God had a plan.

So what do you do when you don’t know what to do?

Let’s review the steps covered in these three blog postings:

• Ask God to direct you
• Start to use what you’ve been given (your gifts, talents and abilities. See Blog #1 to figure out how to discover your gifts)
• Go with what you know – See Blog #2 to review personality traits
• Take a Risk – Stepping out of your comfort zone can be scary but rewarding

When you don’t know what to do, you can start by following the guidelines in this series of blogs. In a year from now, you’ll be able to look back and say, “look how far I’ve come!”

What Do you Do? Go With What You Know - Step 2

What Do You Do When You Don’t Know What To Do?

Step 2 – Go With What You Know

             What things do you know about yourself? Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Do you have a dominant personality and step right up to take charge? You might consider yourself an influential, inspiring person who can sell ice to Eskimos, as the saying goes! Perhaps your strength is being a team player or maybe you’re excellent with details!

Such personality traits can be discovered by a strengths assessment inventory, like the DISC. I enjoy using the DISC because it’s easy to associate the four major attributes of someone’s personality to the letters.

        D = Dominant, direct – these are “big picture” people

        I = Influence, inspiration – the “fun lovers” who love people

        S = Stability, security – they will listen and provide safety

        C = Conscientious, careful – great with details

        While there’s a lot involved in the thorough discovery of your particular make-up, here’s a couple of examples and general observations to help you go with what you know about you:

Since I know my two dominant DISC personality traits are “I” and “D,” I’ve learned that when I need to work with figures or get a research project done, I have to consciously make lists, set deadlines, or – my favorite choice – get someone who has an “S” or “C” personality to help me out!!

My husband is an “S” -“C” combination – of course! Haven’t you heard that opposites attract? We laughingly refer to his “S” characteristic as “The Saint”  because he can get along with almost anyone! And guess who handles the money in our household? My husband, of course! That’s one of his strong points.

        Knowing your primary personality strengths and weaknesses is key to really knowing you.  

         In addition, recognizing whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert can help when you’re trying to choose the right path.

An extroverted person is energized by being around a lot of people, noise and activity.   And, introverts recharge their batteries by spending time alone or taking a nap.

Think of times when you’ve used your strengths. Do you have a knack for working with kids? When you hang out with them, does a crowd gather? Perhaps you are a great listener and people just seem to tell you things they’ve never told another soul.   Is there a counselor inside you just waiting to be released?  Often, people realize they already know about addictions because of their own family dynamics.

And sometimes you’ll learn things through “the school of hard knocks.”  Have you ever said, “Well, that’s a mistake I’ll never make again!” You’ve learned something through that experience that adds to what you know and who you’ve become.

        What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

1.   Start with what you’ve been given (see previous blog)
2.   Go with what you know

Join me next time as I discuss step 3:

3. Take a risk

What Do You Do When You Don't Know What To Do?

What Do You Do When You Don’t Know What To Do?

Have you ever felt stuck? Perhaps you don’t like your job and your job doesn’t like you! Maybe you have a dream or goal but don’t know the next step to take. And you’ve prayed for direction, but no answer appears. I think we’ve all been in such predicaments at some time or other—I know I have! It’s frustrating to say the least, and can really shake your faith at times. Let me share some of the experiences and guidelines I’ve found to be helpful:

1. Start With What You’ve Been Given –

I’ve always been a gal who talked a lot – but I never thought that was a gift! When people said, “You have a way with words,” I didn’t think that was anything special. However, that “way with words” provided an answer at a time when I asked: “What Do I Do now?”

As it turns out, God’s reply was to show me He has given me an ability, a talent, a gift –--- of talking! Go figure!

I started using that “way with words” when I began teaching my clients skills and techniques in the counseling office. The more I did this, the more my clients reported it was helpful. And the more I enjoyed it as well! I started with what I’d been given. Then I decided to put on a workshop. I didn’t know if anyone would show up or what might happen, but (gulp, gulp) I took a deep breath and scheduled one!

That first seminar demonstrated to me I could use my ability to connect with people publicly as well as in the privacy of the counseling office. They showed up!  They said it was helpful!  Yea!  I used what I'd been given!  Using that gift has led to speaking engagements, writing opportunities and leadership roles.

What gifts have you been given? What gifts are still unknown to you? Discovering and using those talents is one of the things that will help you succeed!

If you haven’t yet discovered your gifts or talents, ask people around you what they think you do well, then make a list of those things. Next, make a list of things you enjoy doing. Between those two inventories you’ll start to see the abilities God has given you!

Join me next time as I discuss step 2 -- Go With What You Know

A Christmas gift idea

Looking for a Christmas gift idea for a favorite family or friend?  My Sister in law made this several years ago - she took a poster board, had us draw around our hands, then she cut those shapes out of red felt and added various pictures of our family.  It goes up every holiday!

Grow Thick, Armor-Plated Skin - A Success Principle

                                    Success Principle:

“Grow Thick, Armor-Plated Skin”

           If you’re going to be successful, you have to have thick skin!   You know, that ability to withstand criticism and hurtful comments about who you are and what you do.

          That was really brought home to me by an email I recently received:

“Dear Barbra, I have just received a revelation of why I get depressed and it is thrilling! While my intellect is at the graduate college level, my ability to withstand offense is very childish.”

The writer goes on to say, “Offenses collect on me like lint and I have buried their effects in the roots of bitterness. All the while smiling and ‘praise the Lord,’ never letting anyone know.”

John Bevere found this phenomenon of “taking offense” so troubling, he wrote a book entitled The Bait of Satan in which he discusses how Satan destroys lives and ministries because people are so easily offended.

Obviously, my writer is not the only one who struggles with the ability to withstand offense! However, if you wish to be successful, it is imperative to grow Thick, Armor-Plated Skin.

“The higher your heights, the greater number of detractors you will have and the sharper their attacks will be.” Paul Brunson noted in his article, “20 Successful Habits I learned Working For Two Billionaires.” (Oprah Winfrey and Enver Yucel)

“How do you actually develop that thick skin?” you may ask, because this is one of those principles which sounds amazingly true but exceedingly difficult to develop. As seems to be the case in any principle I share, I’ve had to learn the hard way how to apply that theory!

As the e-mail writer experienced, I too put on a mask of confidence for years but would cry myself to sleep many nights because I worried that someone didn’t approve of me or didn’t like what I had said or done.

I remember the day I walked down the hall and noticed two nurses with their heads huddled together in a whispered conversation. As I grew near, they looked at me and immediately stopped talking. I, of course, just knew they were talking about me! And, of course, it obviously wasn’t good, because they stopped their discussion!

For the rest of the day and into the evening and even the next day, I worried about that incident. (I obviously had not yet developed armor-plated skin!) However, that was a turning point in my self-development. I instituted two rules for myself which may help you as well:

1. Assume the best until you know the worst. Until I actually hear someone say they don’t like me or hated what I had to say, I’m going to assume they like me and anything I’m doing.
2. If I can’t let some bothersome thought go within 24 hours, I have to take action.

• Assume the best until you know the worst:

I found out later the two nurses were talking about a confidential family matter –

which of course had nothing to do with me And I have discovered along the way, that’s usually the case. People are not nearly as interested in us as we assume they are. . I’ve known people to obsess over a comment like a dog worrying a bone, and they’ve carried offenses for months or even for years!

When you grow thick, armor-plated skin, you learn to let those incidents bounce off you without ruining your day. Without that protective skin, your physical, emotional and spiritual health all suffer. Medical research reveals 80-90% of illness is related to stress!

• If you can’t let something go within 24 hours, take action.

For me, that usually means talking to the person involved – “Hey, I’d like to talk to you about the other day. I was just wondering if I have done anything to offend you.”

The worst that can happen is you discover they really intended to be offensive. Usually, however, they’re just what we used to call being a busy-body, trying to run your life instead of taking care of their own business! “Oh, hon, you should never wear your hair that way!” “Why don’t you have more kids?” “You can’t even do your job right!” On and on it can go.

As you begin to grow that thick, armor-plated skin, something interesting happens. Instead of feeling attacked, you begin to step back and think a bit more logically. Why might that person be saying something so offensive? Generally speaking, it comes from a place of insecurity or hurt. The well-known saying, “Hurt people hurt people” is really true!

You might ask yourself, “Is there any truth to what that person said?” “Hmm, should I really get another hairstyle?” If the answer is, yes, you take action in that direction. If the answer is “no, I like myself the way I am,” you just realize that person is coming from a place of unhealed hurts which is their problem, not yours.

Action then takes the form of asking God to help you love them anyway, and/or forgive them.

Guess what? It can happen! That same writer observed in the e-mail: “I’ve seen people say hurtful things to you, and you don’t seem to be bothered.”  And if I did it, you can do it – you too can grow thick, armor-plated skin!

The bottom line to growing thick, armor-plated skin? Two rules:

Rule 1: Assume the best until you know the worst.

Rule 2: If you can’t let some bothersome thought go within 24 hours, take action.

Learn to know who you are, like who you are and never let others distract you from your purpose and goals. You’ve got a job to do while you’re here on earth, and you need to Grow Thick, Armor-Plated Skin so you can do it!

Success Principle - Invest in Yourself

Success Principles - Or how to avoid being broke and stupid!  I hope you'll enjoy this video talking about "investing in yourself."  If you like it, please comment and share!  Thanks, Barbra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlesbBskGqk

Clapping With Your Feet

Clapping With Your Feet    

“I just want to wake up and find out I’m alive,” were Dane’s last words before heading into the surgical suite.  After hearing his surgeon graphically describe the steps involved in performing open heart surgery, I think we were all echoing his wish!   Dr. Miller explained that during the 5-6 hour surgery, he’d make a chest incision, spread the ribs, stop the heart, place Dane on a heart and lung machine which would keep our son alive, then repair the leaky heart valve.  Whew!  Even though in some ways it was helpful to hear, I think that was more information than we wanted to know!  This was indeed scary stuff!

Seven hours later, we entered his ICU room.  Dane’s eyes were closed, a breathing respirator down his throat, and his hands were fastened down, lest he inadvertently pull out one of those life-saving tubes.  Perhaps needless to say, that was hard to witness.  And even though the surgery was successful, I did wake up in the middle of the night replaying the day.

My night-time ruminations made me reflect about others going through such helpless times.   As a counselor, I’ve seen people survive emotional heart surgery, only to awaken to bed-side visitors of fear, anxiety and worry.

Their last words before such surgery may have sounded like, “Please don’t leave me,” “how will we pay the bills,” or “I just want to wake up and this will all be a dream!”  Being in the emotional-intensive care unit often limits one’s field of vision to blackness of present circumstances, as well as a feeling of hands being tied.  On top of that, emotional heart surgery patients often feel God has abandoned them.

However, as Hebrews 13:5 reminds us, God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  David penned the famous words of Psalm 23 which state, “yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”2 Timothy says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind!”  When recovering sufferers grab hold of these God-sent promises, what happens next can be as powerful as what occurred in Dane’s recovery room.

My husband joyfully leaned over and spoke directly into his son’s ears – “It’s over, and you’re alive, son!”  We weren’t sure he really heard that for a minute, but then we noticed movement under the covers at the foot of the bed.  It looked like one of those trained seals at Sea World moving its flippers.  And then we realized, Dane was

clapping with his feet!

Even though he couldn’t speak or respond normally, Dane was applauding, letting us know he was glad he was alive!  Tears ran down our faces as we rejoiced with him.  And from that praise grew hope, which morphed into encouragement, and then a rallying cry from deep within, “No matter what happened, I’m still alive – I’ll make it!”

If you ever feel discouraged by events beyond your control; if you’re feeling sorry for yourself because things aren’t going as you planned, and you feel your hands are tied, your voice is silent and your eyes tightly shut, just remember:  You’re still alive!  And if the enemy of your soul tries to tell you there’s nothing you can do, keep this in mind – you can still clap with your feet!  Let praise be your avenue to healing and hope; the strength to carry on.

Yes! I said No!

How to Say NO!  Without Blowing Up, Wimping Out or Running Away

 No! – A simple, two-letter word. Should be easy to say, right? No! In my experience, this small declaration of independence is often the result of a hard-fought war within the mind. Victory can be won, but the battles are tough!

Dr. John Townsend, author of the book Boundaries, says that “No” is the Christian curse word – that’s a pretty strong statement but with so many believers who “can’t say no,” I can see why he would say such a thing! Let me give you an example:

A young man recently confessed he had been asked to be a youth leader, Sunday school teacher, greeter, deacon and part of the leadership team at his church. He had a wife and two small children and oh by the way, he also worked a full-time job!   While he enjoyed each aspect of his involvement at church, it soon became obvious his priorities were messed up!

He wanted to say no, he needed to say no, but he said yes anyway. As a result, he had begun to feel used and resentful; on his way to burn-out.

He, like many of us, needed to learn how to say no without blowing up, wimping out or running away.    What do I mean by these terms?

Blowing up! – We “take it” and “take it” and “take it,” until we can’t “take it” any more! Like the young man above, we take on too much! From a place of resentment we explode in anger, and usually the relationship is blown up as well!

Wimping Out – We don’t want to agree, but we also can’t quite get up the courage to say no. So we excuse ourselves by muttering things like: “If I don’t agree, they’ll be mad,”

“They’re in a bad place right now.” “They need me.”

“They won’t like me.” We can find plenty of reasons to “wimp out!”

Running Away - When you try to avoid the other person, change the subject or come up with a bunch of excuses. These are often the people who burn out and stop doing ANYTHING, going from one extreme to the other.

                                                 The question then becomes:

 How do we say no without blowing up, wimping out or running away?

 Pass the “P’s” Please

 A couple of “P’s” can help: -- Planning and Practice. Let’s talk about Planning first:

Planning – If you haven’t been very good at saying “No,” you will need to be prepared; get some tools for your toolbox. Here are three: Tool #1 – Keep It Short and Sweet

Don’t explain, but keep your “no” short and simple. Too often, people feel obliged to expound on why they need to say no. However, the longer the story, the more others can find reasons why that doesn’t work (for them!)  “Oh, don’t worry,” they’ll say, “it won’t take that long,” “it’s just for this time,” etc. etc. etc.

I recently called to cancel our TV subscription. You know what’s that like, right? They have specially trained people to talk you out of cancelling and often, you wind up signing up again!

I was prepared this time, however, with something I call

Tool #2 – The Broken Record Technique 

Me: “I want to cancel our TV subscription.”

TV Employee: “Oh, what brought you to this decision?” (ready to counter any objections I might offer)

Me: “Broken Record” – repeated same thing: “I just need to cancel our TV subscription.”

After a couple of other efforts to get more information from me, the employee said, “well, it’s your decision. We’re sorry to lose you as a customer.”

Yes! I was able to say No!

Tool #3 – Learn a New Phrase – “Let Me Get Back To You”

             Suppose you’re asked to add something to your already full schedule and you know you don’t have time. However, you’re filled with anxiety when you even contemplate “disappointing” them.   It’s important not to use this as a “wimp out;” which can drive you to say, “Sure, I’d be happy be help! Instead, you pull out Tool #3 and say, “Let me check my schedule and get back to you.”

Within 24 hours, call and say, “I’m sorry; I checked my calendar and I can’t do that. I wish you all the best!” If necessary, use Tool #2 – Broken Record – and simply repeat what you’ve already said. Then, pump your fist and say, “Yes! I was able to say No!”

Ok, you’ve Planned and you’re Prepared; the next step is to Practice. We can have very satisfying conversations in our heads that don’t translate to our tongues very well. When you practice, familiarity brings comfort and confidence.

Practice using each of the tools listed above:

• In front of a mirror
• With someone else
• Writing down exactly what you want to say

Then – enjoy the freedom which comes from Learning To Say No Without Blowing Up, Wimping Out or Running Away!

If It Doesn't Work, Do Something Different!

If It Doesn’t Work, Do Something Different!

 “Remember the Alamo!” That rallying cry is what came to my mind when I instructed my client to “Remember the Bagels!” It may sound a bit silly, but those words are to remind her of an important principle:

 

 “If something works, do it more! If it doesn’t work, do something different.”

 What, you may ask, does that have to do with remembering bagels? Well, I’ll tell you.

“Susan” stated she had been trying to please her husband for many years, but it seemed nothing she ever did was right or good enough. A recent example, she said, was the daily bagel run. Her husband was very busy, with an important job in the community so her assignment was the "bagel run.” She would go pick up the special bagels he liked and have them ready for him to eat before he rushed off to work.

However, there was always something wrong with the bagels. They were sliced when he didn’t want them sliced, they weren’t the right kind and she didn’t get his order right, etc. etc. He always complained, and she began to feel resentful, used and abused! Then SHE was the one who began to complain -- to others, of course! She didn’t like that role and now sought my help.

She tried many things that didn't work:

She told him how she felt – unappreciated, criticized and unloved

• She tried to keep doing it better
• She tried pouting
• She tried the silent treatment
• She tried getting angry and slamming doors
• She asked him to stop complaining every day about the bagels.

Nothing worked – he never changed.

This scenario reminded me of Dr. Phil’s famous quote “How’s that working out for you?” In other words,  If it doesn’t work, do something different!

 Well, what she had been doing didn’t work – it was time to do something different!

The next day that’s exactly what she did – something different!!  She very kindly said, “Since I can’t ever get your bagel order right, you’ll need to take care of that yourself.” Well, that changed things a bit – he said, “that’s ok, I’m sure you’ll get it right next time.”

(Have you ever noticed boundary-breakers will try any means necessary to keep things going their way!!?)

But she didn’t budge from her new-found resolution and let him get his own bagels.

A week later I received a call: “It worked!” she almost yelled. “It worked! He actually started going after his own bagels!”  

After celebrating with her, we came up with something she can do or say to keep doing what worked – and “Remember the bagels” became her own rallying cry.

 “Remember the bagels” - I’m taking charge of my life!!

 “Remember the bagels” - I don’t have to yell or pout. 

Along the way, she had learned some important principles:

•  You can’t change someone else
• Stop complaining about what’s wrong and DO something
• If it works, do it more. If it doesn’t work, do something else!

So ask yourself, “What’s not working for me? Instead of hoping those 15 pounds will just magically come off your hips or that your friends or co-workers will start treating you with a little respect, what can you do that’s different? When you discover what works, do it more   

The hurricane principle

Psychological principle:   What you focus on gets bigger.

(or how I like to think of it -- the Hurricane Principle)

This principle can work for you or against you. You keep worrying, fretting, obsessing on why you're not yet successful or what's wrong in your life and, per this principle, those thoughts keep swirling in your mind, getting bigger and bigger until the fear of failure becomes the fact of your reality!

Conversely, when you begin to pay attention to, recognize and praise small steps of achievement, like a hurricane gaining momentum, you too can become who you want to become!

Because I decided......

     Because of a decision I made years ago, I enjoyed watching these butterflies today, so intent on their nectar-gathering I was able to capture a close-up picture.   Because I decided to stop. Think about those two words, "I decided...."  A short declarative sentence with big potential for impact!  Here's some examples of the power I discovered because I used those two small words: 

I walk without a limp because I decided.....

     I went back to school because I decided....- well actually my husband kind of pushed me ..... but that's another story!  :)

    My biggest choice perhaps was when I decided..... to live when I felt like dying. 

     At another time, I'll share the "rest of the story" about living and not dying, about returning to school and about walking without a limp.  Those were all decisions that I am thankful I made for sure!  Today I want to talk a bit about the decision which turned my life onto a different path.

     My decision to start a gratitude journal led to this day; a special moment of butterflies on flowers, a "little" pause in life I previously would have missed.

I'm sure you, like me, have often heard the phrase "take time to smell the roses," but truthfully, how many of us actually do just that?  We're usually too busy making money, keeping a household, and a myriad of other activities to take the time to see butterflies and smell roses!

     The discipline of maintaining that gratitude journal led to some remarkably positive changes in my life!  My focus changed.  I'd think, "What three new things am I going to write about today in my gratitude journal?"   Being mindful of gratitude and reflecting on my day actually began to influence what I noticed, and that noticing attracted more happiness, more excitement, more passion into my life.   

The above "major" examples were certainly landmarks in my life, but the fact that I took time to "smell the roses" on a walk is just as significant!   So today I decided to share with you the simple beauty of nature, of butterflies on flowers.  And because I decided to stop and watch the butterflies, I enjoyed a small piece of heaven right here on earth.

What are some decisions you've made that have impacted your life?

Something Worth Fighting For

Something Worth Fighting For

     Once upon a time, a young man was thrown into a cage of lions and quickly cornered by the huge beasts who were roaring and pawing the air, playing with him before he was torn to shreds. He cowered in the corner of the cage, feeling totally powerless and hopeless, finally winding up in a fetal position on the cold, damp floor, waiting for death.

Abruptly, silence filled the enclosure like heavy fog. The young man sensed the lions were gone. "What was happening?" he wondered. And then suddenly he again heard the terrible sound of lions roaring! To his abject horror, he saw his beautiful fiancé lying sprawled on the opposite end of this prison cell, surrounded by the threatening lions.

Without giving thought to his own safety, the young man jumped to his feet, adrenaline surging through his body! He ran head-long toward the lions, screaming, yelling, frantic to do anything to save his bride-to-be! His sudden, threatening appearance seemingly confused the lions, and they backed away.

The lion tamer standing nearby stated, "I see you've found something worth fighting for."

Now, most of us probably won’t wind up in a lion’s cage fearful for our lives. Generally, our lions are not physical animals. Our lions are internal, emotional thoughts – but they’re just as threatening as those four-footed kings of the jungle. We tremble in jail cells of silence, mouths internally taped shut lest the past come bursting forth. Some of those thoughts might sound like this:

“What if they leave me?”

“If people see who I really am, no one will love me or even like me anymore!”

“What if I can’t handle talking about what happened? I’ll wind up in the looney bin!”

And so we stay silent. And we stay enslaved.

Some all-too-common “secrets” that can keep us imprisoned:

• Abuse – Sexual, physical, emotional
• Addictions – Drinking, drugs, pornography, gambling
• Affairs – Emotional, one-night stands or long-lasting relationships

My client “Mary” had just such a secret, one she had kept for almost 40 years, but now the prison bars were beginning to bulge and break. Face in her hands, body bent over in pain, she sobbed uncontrollably. Her pain-filled words: "It's all my fault, I can't stand it, I don't know what to do" were repeated again and again.

Her teenage daughter had been raped by Mary's current boyfriend, and now Mary, the self-reported black sheep of her family, the one known for drinking and partying, was faced with emotions she'd never allowed herself to feel.

In the midst of that pain and long suppressed emotions, however, Mary had found something worth fighting for – her daughter.

For the first time, Mary confessed she too had been sexually abused at the age of 5 or 6. All the anger, hurt, confusion, pain, betrayal and shame she had pushed down deep into her soul and covered with alcohol, promiscuity and hanging out at the bars came rushing up in a volcano of suppressed emotions as she saw her daughter thrown to the lions of sexual abuse.

For the first time, she didn't seek refuge in a bottle or at a bar

For the first time, she began saying aloud what her inner self had been hiding for many years.

For the first time, she was facing a lot of fear, but she was looking her tormentor straight in the eyes and not backing down!

For the first time, Mary has the chance to heal, to hope, to recover. She had found

Something Worth Fighting For

             Have you found something worth fighting for? Something that makes you give up the addiction to silence, denial and running from the past? “John” had a drinking problem caused by, he shamefacedly admitted in a counseling session, the need for his father’s approval. “Susan” feared what others would think of her if she was truthful. She had been lying for years, about things large and small. John and Susan, like Mary, found a life of freedom when a DUI and a divorce respectively brought them to a place where they found something worth fighting for.

It’s actually quite amazing what you can do when you come up out of the corner with a fighting spirit. You may need to ask for help. You may need to learn new skills. You may have to take responsibility, take some risks. However, when that desire comes from deep within, you find opportunities instead of obligations, freedom instead of fear and purpose that makes you feel alive!

When the lions roar loudly in your life, look around you, look deep inside you – and find something worth fighting for!

 Barb’s Stories From The Couch

Words to inform, motivate, challenge and inspire