Tag: enjoy

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THOSE MEMORIES FILLING MY MIND

Photo by Girl with red hat on Unsplash

Those memories filling my mind just won’t let me go. I have found myself in a place of very deep reflection these past weeks. (which really isn’t that unusual for me). I had another birthday this month so maybe it truly is “life’s golden season” that brings back nostalgia. I have also been binge-watching old childhood television shows on ROKU. Those TV shows had good morals, humor, and life lessons. Of course, it could be the research I am doing for my next book. Maybe it’s hearing the lyrics in music before it was so overproduced and polished. The days when music was written from raw life emotions or world events.

I don’t have the answers but I do know I am not the only one that seems to be reminiscing about the good ole days.

Frankly, I am beginning to believe that somewhere in the past 50 years we have become such polished people we have either forgotten or never knew how to be our authentic selves. It’s funny because when those rare face-to-face meetings occur with someone who brushes the world view to the wayside and instead lives out of a place of genuine purity – I am enthralled and even envious.

When I go down that deep hole of reflection and introspection I usually find a place in my daily routine that simply needs a change. Sometimes it’s an easy transition and sometimes it’s gut-wrenching.

For example – one little tweak of a schedule can bring hours of relief in a day. That’s easy.

However, changing a false mindset can literally feel like losing a limb. I was raised on a farm. Hard work, integrity, and honesty were deeply instilled values. We worked hard, played hard, and rested hard. I liked country living and watching the sunset from the porch. I liked being barefoot in the mud. I didn’t recognize it then but the freedom of the outdoors did something for my soul.

Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash

We probably assumed the days would never change but they did and many of us changed with them in pursuit of a “better” life. The hourly wage and 40-hour plus work week took the place of sunsets and family dinners. I now better understand why I was terrible at punching a clock! It didn’t allow me to witness those beautiful things that happen outside the constriction of a schedule. Like dropping everything to watch a horse foul or a litter of puppies enter the world.

It seems many folks are looking over their shoulder to search for something they lost along the way. I leave you with this encouragement. All is not lost – it is a part of you that only needs resurrected. Show them the things they may not know like a family dinner. Require all electronic devices to go into lockdown for a moment on the porch as the sun explodes colors in the sky on its descent. Reach deep within yourself and let those creative ideas flow. How can the world possibly be complete without your contribution of beauty that only you can give?

Change is a good thing and we mustn’t grieve the past BUT we must remember we all have something to teach and we all have something to learn. Give of yourself as a teacher and a student and you will most certainly

Enjoy the Journey – VB

It's in the Music

The Latest Release Right HERE!! It’s a dream that came to life in my writing.

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Poverty vs Prosperity/What’s the difference?

This picture of the old farmhouse where I grew up was taken on a recent trip to South Dakota. It had been 40 YEARS since I had seen it.

Poverty or prosperity- which mentality do you have?

Wow-what a controversial topic. That question can challenge the best of us. Honestly, I had not given it much thought until one of my mentors presented me with the question. That’s when I had to take a close look at which of those lenses I was choosing to view my life.

Cultural programming has everything to do with how we define our lifestyle. My folks raised us knowing the meaning of hard work. We lived on a farm in South Dakota for a big part of my childhood. I remember the long cold winters when all hands were required to be on deck to ensure that both we and the animals survived. Summers brought long hot days in the wheat fields. Mom packed our lunch in a round dishpan and filled the water jugs to the brim. We loaded up the goods and spent the whole day in the field under a make-shift awning. (an old green tarp with holes in it that was strung from the truck bed to two fence posts stuck in the ground) She and my dad went around and around the field on their tractors all day planting crops. They would wave at us with each round and make sure all was well at the camp. I laugh as I write this just thinking about how dirty we were at the end of the day.

The look back helps me to identify how my mindset that surrounds my perspective on poverty or prosperity was developed. Lifestyle has certainly changed over the years BUT the mentality dug its roots and settled in for the long haul.

I could go on and on about how life was lived on the plains of South Dakota. The stories can easily mirror the “Little House on the Prairie” television series. It was those stories that set me on the path of reforming some very old mindsets.

The first thing was to explore what each of those words meant to me. With no purposeful intentions from anyone involved – my definition of poverty took on the persona of “hard work only brings more hard work”. It was an endless cycle of work to simply survive. Sometimes there were huge setbacks like hail storms that took out a whole crop. Even as a child I could feel the heartbreak and disappointment of my parents. The fear of lack began to box me into a very tiny space of small dreams. I developed a real ” poverty mentality“.

Cultural programming has everything to do with how we develop our life. Can we break out of what we know and into what is actually possible?

I’m not sure why it is often referred to as a poverty “mentality”. The more accurate description is an “impoverished soul”. Poverty is more than how many dollars you have or don’t have in your bank account. It runs deep into the crevices of your everyday life and can affect every decision you make. For example, our hard childhood culture left a residue of unworthiness that ran behind the scenes of my adulthood decisions. Decisions stretching all the way from what clothing to buy to who to marry! It’s hard to imagine how sitting in a field playing games and reading all day could develop into an unworthy attitude toward myself.

The truth is that culture does define us. The good news is we can be open to change if we want something different.

Somewhere on life’s journey, I realized there was another option besides “expecting lack” and “slamming every penny into a savings account”. There were faith and hope. There was an understanding of a new identity that could take the golden nuggets of teaching from my childhood and apply them to a more prosperous mentality. The type of thinking that refreshes your soul into knowing that no matter what – YOU ARE WORTHY of the precious things life can give.

The truth is that most of the present chaos of the world is simply not in our control anyway. It will gladly drain any faith and hope we muster up if we focus on it. The healthy option is to change your focus. I mean your eyes can literally move from one place to another. From the place of lack to the place of abundance.

I leave you with this encouragement. Don’t define your mentality of poverty or prosperity by your bank account. Instead , revisit your cultural upbringing. Look deep in your soul and ask yourself what you are expecting life to bring you. Do you really believe you deserve the gold that is waiting for you in this season? Will you take it when it presents itself? Will you restore faith and hope in yourself and those around you? Are you open to changing some old habits?

The next blog will bring a closer look at prosperity. In the meantime

Enjoy the Journey – VB

P.S. Writing brings me great joy. It also brings me great joy when others share themselves through writing too. It’s not hard to get your stuff out there for others to enjoy. Click here to see how I got started. These folks are fabulous!

My book is available on Amazon. “Escape from Darkness“

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Do you procrastinate?

The action of delaying or postponing something.

It can be the enemy of all time. I absolutely love writing this blog. I look forward to it all week. Yet, when my favorite, scheduled writing day arrives – I will find myself doing laundry instead. I can be one of those folks who find it hard to get started.

There are a lot of ideas in my head and they constantly speak to me! There is music that hasn’t been written, books that are waiting to be completed, and blogs that are floating around in the creative minds of this generation of people. We have more tools ever in history and it couldn’t be easier to record our thoughts and ideas. The internet allows us to share instantly (even in real time) . There is even the ability to make a career out of our thoughts simply by sharing it with the world. The very idea of choosing laundry over such potential personal advancement seems absurd! However, at the end of the day – we are still just humans and the struggle remains real.

Truly successful people are usually organized to the point of intentionally utilizing their God given 168 hours of each week. I am convinced this is a great way to overcome procrastination. I am also adamant there must also be a balance in everything we do. For example – if you make such a rigid schedule that you find yourself losing joy, then it needs to be adjusted. Grace also must be found if you are the person that freaks out when the schedule gets interrupted by life. My grandson loves to visit. Believe me – we drop EVERYTHING for the time spent with him!

Balance is crucial in our daily endeavors. Most of the time there is simply no room for procrastination. Things like laundry can actually wait! Distractions pull on each of us every day. I feel like its an accurate statement to say many of us go to bed thinking of the things we didn’t get done instead of applauding ourselves for the things we did accomplish. I am on a mission to spread a perspective of taking the time to celebrate achievements. It doesn’t have to be huge. Pick something you enjoy but seldom take the time to do. I love massages, a mani-pedi, coffee with a friend, dinner with my husband and quality time with family.

Writing my first book was a huge achievement. It was on my dream list but never done . The completed manuscript arrived because of intentional effort. Every Wednesday morning was an appointment with myself to write something in Escape from Darkness.

At the time there were only 3 hours a week to spare and it had to happen between 6 and 9 AM. Eventually, a natural momentum began to establish and I was thoroughly enjoying the journey!

My vision and ideas became more pointed which allowed the passion for my purpose on this earth to gain traction. Procrastination had lost its hold. My husband and I celebrated with a grand steak dinner and wine the day I saw that book on Amazon!

I leave you with this encouragement. Everybody has to start somewhere. Why not now? The New York time best sellers had to write their first book. Famous song writers wrote a first song. Bloggers that educate us everyday with their wisdom simply started sharing their thoughts at some given time.

Start today uncovering that dream and give it a place in your 168 hours. Don’t be concerned with fame and fortune. You’re already a pretty big deal in the big scheme of life. There are things to share with intended folks that only YOU can provide. Kick procrastination in the tail and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

Good reads from my personal ” favorite books shelf”:

20,000 Days and Counting/Robert D. Smith

The War of Art/Steven Pressfield

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What are your DREAMS?

One of the hardest questions ever presented to me was “What are your dreams?”. I remember the feeling like it was yesterday. It seemed like the words had rolled off this person’s tongue in slow motion and came hurling at me one letter at a time. I quickly realized that I really didn’t have a dream. The only thing I knew was hard work and survival. Who knew there was a future with endless possibilities? Who knew life truly is what YOU make it? Who knew there was permission granted to develop the art behind the dream?

His name is Philippe Petit. I mention him today because his story both inspires and challenges me. I love people who make us think larger while presenting the opportunity to go beyond the normalcy of life and do something different. His story will certainly intrigue you, but it may also stir up an inner desire that is lying underneath a heap of excuses. You know, like all the reasons “WHY” your dream cannot come true!

The same amount of time is available to all of us. None of us get special privileges in the realm of time. Some folks reach their dreams quickly while others take them to their graves. Some folks with shortened lifetimes accomplish more than others who live several decades. What is the difference between these people?

Philippe’s movie The Walk portrays his determination to simply do what he was born to do. He didn’t take any detours. He called his desire his “ART”. It looked ridiculous to everyone around him but he endured the loneliness of rejection and unwanted opinions and stayed the course. He simply didn’t settle for the mundane of what the world had labeled “NORMAL”. At the age of 24 he completed his dream and became a famous artist of his skill. He stood high above a world that applauds his efforts to this day.

When a person dares to pursue a dream it inevitably begins to get others involved. A dream rolling with momentum is hard not to watch! It becomes attractive to those who are called to be noticed! There may be a season of loneliness and feeling misunderstood BUT suddenly one will find themselves with new friends of support and love. Philippe called those who assisted him in his dream “accomplices” to his art.

I leave you with these words of encouragement.

Ask your self “What is the art within me?” Pull your dream from beneath the heap of negative words and place it on the canvas of your life. Be a flicker of light in a world of darkness. I believe you will stand in awe as your tiny light transforms into an inferno of inspiration and hope. Keep me updated because I would love to be an “accomplice” to your art that has not yet been seen!

ENJOY THE JOURNEY- VB

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Pursue WHOLENESS

In today’s culture it is of the utmost importance to intentionally pursue wholeness.

We are in full swing of holiday activities, political unrest, and pandemic instructions. Things couldn’t be more exciting or more uncertain. The media offers stress with just one click on your electronic device. One click usually leads to two clicks and before you know it you have been successfully submersed in 30 minutes of information overload. Information for circumstances that you have absolutely no control. Yet the rest of the day you will be left pondering the information. Furthermore, nearly every person in your path will mention their own stress and opinions on the matters within a few seconds of a casual conversation.

Without even knowing it we build internal stress structures. Over time the accumulation of stress causes our bodies to remain in constant fight or flight mode. These days it doesn’t take long to get there. A common phrase is “if there could only be another me, maybe I could complete everything on the daily “to-do” list”.

Well, it isn’t uncommon to find yourself divided into many parts. Parts that represent your past, your present and your future. If you really slow down enough to thoughtfully examine your own behaviors, stress levels, and daily routines, you may find that there REALLY ARE several versions of you accommodating each day! It is no wonder we long to get away in front of the television with our favorite show or consume the drinks, food or medication that calm the internal beast.

I believe women are worse then men regarding the many identities we try to hold up. Especially in the current culture of singleness and singleness with children to raise. In general it seems that men are better at staying to the course of their purpose. Women are wired to “save the world”. We are naturally doers and nurturers.

While I love the empathetic, compassionate and loving part of myself – there came a time that I hit the wall (so to speak). I was running so fast and wearing so many hats, I seldom stopped to make sure I was still breathing.

Let me tell you from personal experience – when your body and mind can’t run anymore, they will stop! Right there in your current tracks you will find yourself unable to function. I can honestly say I have never been more afraid than I was when the overload happened. I could not get control of my emotions. They were running on their own. (story is here) Physical exhaustion was beyond getting out of bed.

Some people hit a wall of anxiety and racing thoughts. I had thoughts of “nothingness” . I wanted to slip into a cave and sleep the world away. It can be very hard to crawl out of such a pit of despair. The mental and physical load on the journey to wholeness is overbearing. Becoming whole is the best and the more difficult of our two options at that point in time. We either succumb to wholeness or fall down the pit of depression. My decision and commitment to pursue wellness came when my counselor asked me to define wholeness.

One of my favorite authors is Matthew Kelly. I found my destination to pursue in his book “RESISTING HAPPINESS” .

WHOLENESS

The sense that my life is One – not many parts or many compartments, but one loving, breathing, ordered life. In the midst of the search for wholeness – two good things remain; my desire to be whole and the voice that can lead me to wholeness.

Wholeness allows me to embrace who I am and at the same time strive to achieve all I am capable of achieving and become all I am capable of becoming. Being content with who I am today and improving myself for tomorrow.

I believe wholeness is attained when we find the delicate balance that allows both to coexist.

I leave you with this word of encouragement. Don’t wait for your own “hit the wall” experience. Begin to listen to the “voice” of Wisdom that resides outside of the wilderness. Start stepping toward your own definition of wholeness and pull the fragments of yourself together. You are important! Wrap this year up in a huge present of time and attention to yourself. Pursue wholeness and by all means

ENJOY THE JOURNEY – VB

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Are You a World Changer? “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. ~Ghandi~

The growth of the scattered poisonous seeds of trauma from childhood were used to create the first layer of the foundation of fear. Fear had pinned me behind the walls it had built on that foundation so early in life that I grew into adulthood believing there was nothing more to life than what I had already seen. I believe most folks never look over the walls. It is why there are only a few who have walked this earth with such a strong influence that they left an impact for hundreds and even thousands of years later. They were the handful of those willing to throw themselves at destiny. They would not let their past experiences become their identity or let fear of failure stop them. Fear is only powerful if we succumb to it.

Fear is relentless; it does not grow weary. Fear is strengthened by layers of insecurity, unworthiness, rejection, failure, and more. The walls built on the foundation of my belief system were so high, I did not know my own potential was confined within the limits of their boundaries. I thought I was living the best life possible. I did not know I was dragging old stuff from the past around with me everywhere I went.

This is an excerpt from my own memoir “Escape from Darkness”. It seemed to appropriately sum up my thoughts as I watched a short clip of recent national news. What in the world is happening? Right or wrong, people will fight for what they believe. They will even go beyond the limits of the law to make a point. Sadly, they may even work from inside the law to fight for what they believe. However, at the end of the day – we all put our shoes on the same way. We all share the commonalities of our own personal vulnerabilities of our past. Our belief systems were formed by our environments and it is what we know…unless we dare to venture out and truly search for what we don’t know.

I have several earthquake instances of awakening in my journey which I now lovingly refer to as “aha” moments. My willingness to explore the perspectives outside of my own prison of deceit opened up a whole new world that brought many opportunities with it. I may have never bumped into those opportunities or new relationships had I not been willing to explore some uncharted territory. My point is this: Ultimately, FEAR is at the root of the erratic behavior we watch on the news, see in our hometowns, and even in our own homes. Fear of the unknown and certainly fear of that which we cannot control. Fear truly is relentless and will push us beyond strength we have never even considered of ourselves.

SO the question is do we annihilate fear, learn to live with it or turn it into a driving force for the good of mankind? I believe the answer is YES to all three of these suggestions. Fear that draws its strength from our past does have to be annihilated through us facing it head on and hitting it right between the eyes with truth. We will always live with a certain element of fear because the more brave and courageous we get the more we will expand our territory of new things. We will continually face giants of resistance with each new endeavor who would like nothing more than to keep us from fulfilling purpose. Finally, when we learn we are actually much more powerful than fear – we can turn it into a positive force in our lives and use it to help our fellow man. Now that I am no longer haunted by the fear that confines and makes me afraid but instead strengthened with courage and curiosity by the fear of entering into unknown fields that hold hidden treasures of opportunity, I am able to change the landscape of my own community with gifts and talents I didn’t even know existed.

I leave you with this encouragement. Don’t be threatened by your past failures, rejections, beliefs, or insecurities. Let them be a stepping stone to your true self. Become a driving force for the good of mankind! It only takes one view of the current news to bring inspiration to present the world with a new way of thinking.

Gandhi said it this way: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him…J Have a fabulous week my friends and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Time Will Not Delay

My office floods with early morning sunlight when the time “falls back” for the Autumn/Winter season. I lift the window just enough to feel a slight breeze and hear the morning song of the birds as it travels across the trees. The trees are now letting go of their leaves that once thrived during the summer season. It speaks to me, time will not delay.

Our lives move through these same seasons. There are days where the sun shines brightly yet seems to set quickly. There are days where darkness looms as it will never end. There are days of extreme light when joy is abundant and we celebrate victories.

I write a lot about time because it is the most valuable commodity in our lives. This little excerpt says it well: The concept of time is elusive because, well, it stands still for no man. It is the life currency that you can never regain after “spending” it. https://simplyshredded.com/the-currency-of-time-lifes-most-precious-commodity.html

I can feel the winds of change as surely as I feel the breeze moving through this room. It reminds me of the importance of “holding things loosely”.

I received the news a year ago in July that one of my best friends of 20 years had been killed in a car accident. I had just seen her a few weeks before as she was getting in her car to leave my house. She waved goodbye, flashed her beautiful smile, and blew me a kiss. She was one of the most talented vocalists I have ever heard in my life. We had plans to do her first recording in our studio the following August. How do we even consider holding these relationships loosely? Yet we must also hold the regrets of the past even more loosely. Neither of them is to be held as ours.

Her life and her early exit from this earth only made me question the element of time even more deeply. We did delay but time did not. We delayed in simply putting that date on the calendar to archive a voice that many of us now long to hear just once more. In the 20 years, she and I spent as friends and music partners – we could not find one recording of her to play at her funeral. Emotions sit right on the surface as I write this because the importance of the message burns with passion in my heart. Her death caused a paradigm shift in the atmosphere of my world. I HAD to move with the shift even though my heart wanted to sit down and find all the seemingly good reasons to quit.

The momentum of the world we live in today is like a raging river. It is fast and furious yet slow and attentive. How do we manage to catch the wave that catapults us to the changes we desire and sit on the beach and breathe in every single moment at the same time? Where is that perfect balance? Is it even possible? I look at the aging of my own body and retrace the footsteps of my life and think “oh how quickly things move.” Events like the death of a loved one can shake your world and bring up many questions. Questions that are worthy of an answer.

We must find resolve in our hearts to bring us to the point of stepping out on the limb of courage to face our fears and annihilate our own procrastination. Just do it even if you’re scared. Even if it’s not perfect. Death will be the final seed we are allowed to contribute but life offers a beautiful window of time. The seeds we have planted on our journey will someday be watered by other sojourners walking their road of destiny. May we learn to plant those seeds, enjoy the growth they give us, and walk on toward those things that await our arrival.

While my friend’s voice was put to rest that day, her daughter stepped into her mother’s legacy and blessed us all with a song. My friend didn’t get to do all that we had planned for her but nonetheless, those seeds from her gift are firmly planted on this earth and will grow no matter what. Just imagine what we can do by simply being a little more intentional with our time.

I leave you with this encouragement. Don’t let time slip away. Get up and look at the sunrise and announce to the world that YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE today and every day hereafter. Hold loosely to those things which will inevitably change as time goes on. Love deeply and on purpose. Move with the changes in your life. Finally, make this holiday season so great that those close to you will forever hold it in their memory bank just like I hold the memory of my friend’s final wave, kiss, and unforgettable smile. I am here to tell you- IT IS WORTH IT!

Enjoy the Journey – VB

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Are you derailed?

I recently read that the fastest train service in the world has trains that reach a top speed of 268 mph. The slowest train in the world moves at an average speed of 24 mph.

I had to wonder how something can adhere to the track when moving so fast or how can you get anywhere going only 24 mph. These are good question to ponder and apply to our daily lives. Going too fast certainly holds the risk of being derailed and missing the scenery along the way. Moving too slow has its own set of problems. It would be unfortunate to miss a golden opportunity due to procrastination or laziness. Then there is the option otherwise known as “a train wreck”. Are you sitting on the side of life completely derailed with one wheel on the track and the other one in the dirt?

Isn’t there a sweet spot somewhere that makes the whole world fall in perfect order?

My weeks seem to fly by as fast as the scenery would in a view from the 268 mph train. At the same time my own productivity seems to move as slow as the 24 mph train. Then come the days I sense having gone nowhere as I sit derailed and frustrated! The truth is life is a series of events that ebb and flow. We have to take the seat of the engineer and stay on track as we move through each day. There must be a balance of enjoying the scenery, making it to our destination on time, and finally shutting the engine down at the end of the day.

This current world we live in can demand a lot from each of us if we let it. We can find ourselves wondering how far we can stretch. I am here to tell you that is not the design we were meant to conform. We were created to notice the seasons and enjoy the transitions of their changes. It is part of our wholeness to be present in our moments. Western culture has somehow morphed into setting unreasonable internal goals that only run us ragged while leaving very little of us to share with our family and friends at the end of the day. There will be times when we simply derail. No train can run forever. It’s important to learn how to rest during the derail in order to prevent a personal devastating crash.

I learned a lot during my recent “derail”. I learned there are limits to what our bodies and our minds can endure from outside circumstances. I learned we as individuals are responsible for pulling over for a pit stop before we reach that limit.

Seasons of life will change. Some of those changes will be slow and some will be abrupt but the main thing is we find that “sweet spot” that allows us to be all we can be. The end of the day should bring gratefulness for having “lived on purpose”.

I leave you with this encouragement. Make time to reflect on the last two weeks. Were you running as fast as you can? Did you enjoy the scenery or did you derail? Are you back on track and are you certain where your train is headed? Do you need to make adjustments for your current season? Have you learned your lessons from the last derail? These are questions only you can answer. Answer the questions and make the tweaks so the BEST YOU will come forward and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

Conform only to who are are meant to be!
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Do you Recognize Your Season?

This picture was taken in our fire pit this spring. It intrigued me to see beauty rise up out of the ashes.

One of the things I enjoy the most is reflecting on the season changes I get to witness from the deck while sitting in my favorite chair. Sometimes the air feels hot and humid in the active days of summer right before the rain. There is also the beauty of the leaves as they change colors as fall makes it entrance. My plants tell me after the first cold snap that its time to move inside and watch through the window as the winter season unfolds. Spring always brings the anticipation of sitting in the morning air once more and watching the wildlife wake up from the winter months.

The seasons of our lives are simultaneously changing with the seasons of the earth. It has been both a joy and a challenge for me to acknowledge that simple epiphany. To understand it is to know that whatever season one is currently experiencing will soon change. It’s important to know when to embrace a lovely summer or when to batten down the hatch and wait for a fall storm to blow over. It’s equally important to know the time to rest and watch a winter season from the safety and warmth of the inside or when to fling the windows open and shake the dust from the curtains to allow spring to help you do something different and exciting.

Most of us are wired for routine and find security in thinking we know what the next day is going to bring. It took a near death experience from an unexpected motorcycle accident to shake me out of that mentality. The truth is we do not know what the next day holds. Our season may change with the blink of an eye. I was suddenly thrust into a winter season of physical recovery. while we were riding the hills of the Ozarks in Arkansas on a beautiful fall day. My total focus changed to learning to sit still while my body healed the broken bones. I had a lot of time to watch the world around me from the recliner in our living room. Let’s just say I learned a lot. While I became one with the furniture, everyone else in the house went about their daily lives. It disturbed me to see the fast pace that had become our way of life. Living to work and working to live. While working is certainly a priority – so is stopping to smell the roses.

Even the season in the chair soon changed to long hours of physical therapy, going back to work myself, and moving through the huge array of orthopedic devices that offered assistance until I could stand on my own two feet again. Now I am left with only the reflection of that particular season.

In a nutshell, I encourage you to first recognize your current season and simply adjust accordingly because it will soon change. Anticipate the change and prepare to move through it fully awake. Stop and smell the roses along the way because flowers can bloom anywhere. You may be surprised how perfect moments can be captured when they are least expected. Every season has bright spots of growth and joy. Remember it is Your Season! Make it golden!

Enjoy the Journey – VB