lessons from my life...

i will never claim to know a lot about anything...but i do strive to learn from mistakes and experiences from my past...

these are reflections of my own life's experiences...things that have helped me come to terms with life's challenges...i hope that they will give you encouragement and lift you up to steer ahead...

i remember reading this quote for the first time...hit me like a ton of bricks...what we do and say can affect people in ways we never imagined...
"flatter me and i may not believe you...
criticize me and i may not like you...
ignore me and i may not forgive you...
but encourage me and i will never forget you"...

the world is not a fair place...and things do not work or happen the way we perceive them or want them to for our convenience and wellbeing...life is made up of ups and downs...but what we have to do is face the reality of the harsh world in which we live and move on...

the most important part of moving on is to forgive...you can't make progress when you are facing the wrong way (which for us may seem to be the right way)...forgive those who hurt you and redirect all the emotional energy you've given to bitterness toward fulfilling your destiny...

do something every day to change your attitude...instead of trying to think your way into right acting...act your way into right thinking...act the person you want to be...and gradually that's the person you will become...

only when you learn to accept the person that you are can you accept and enjoy others as they are...a great historian (whose name escapes me and probably wouldn't mean much to you anyway) said, "your attitude is your best friend or your worst enemy - it will either draw people to you or keep them away...it is never content until it has been expressed...and in every case it is more honest and consistent than your words...it is the librarian of your past...the speaker of your present, and the prophet of your future."

don't allow yourself to be swept away by the distraction that disappointments can bring...discover your life's purpose and anchor yourself to it before the bell rings and "class closes."

first - "know God." He alone holds the key to unlock the secret of who we really are...

second - "know yourself." you can only love what you know and fix what you understand...it is dangerous when others know you better than you know yourself...for knowledge is power...what are your real needs...values...goals...boundaries?

third - "know your neighbor." we are born alone, die alone, but we are not meant to live alone...we need to love and be loved and that takes time...how can anyone talk to you for 20 minutes and say they know you? they are either brilliant or you are shallow...knowing someone takes time...

people respond better to kindness than complaints...in fact...most people will do nearly anything if you treat them with kindness...that means making it clear to them that their feelings are important...their preferences respected and their opinions valuable...it also means giving them the benefit of the doubt...we all make mistakes...therefore...every man is entitled to be valued by his best moments...

when failure knocks at the door...it is sometimes just a signal that it is time to change direction...if you keep hitting a wall...back up and look for a door...if you take a detour...don't despair...it may be the road that you should have been on in the first place...failing does not make you a failure...only quitting does...so have faith...step out and do...if you make mistakes you will be the wiser afterward...

when you don't believe in yourself...you will always expect the worst from others...it is easy to allow our hearts to lie dormant for fear...do not allow self-esteem and the disappointments of the past blind you to the new options that present themselves daily...dare to try again and trust God to be your safety net...it is the leap of faith that can be both most dangerous...yet most rewarding...