The Time Is Now... ACT

Loyal Lilypad Followers- When you think about things you want to do, all the things from learning a new language or climbing Mount Everest, what stops you? The voices.. you know the ones. All the ones that climb to high levels of volume and intensity in your head, but once you trot them out to the people you love best, they say, that's ridiculous! Ludicrous even... But most of us don't do that, most of us are paralyzed by the fear they cause and don't ever act and then fear wins. I was chatting with a friend of mine recently who is fearless and incredibly accomplished. I actually asked her this question. Is there anything you can't do? She says, "I never ask that question." I think this is a worthwhile idea to pass on to you my dear readers.. Or put another way.. Reframe the question to say. What can I do? The answer. Everything and Anything... Wow!

Accentuate the Positve, Eliminate the Negative..

It's easy to say and easy to do. Because I say it is. Because you say it is. I know, I know. You sit and think, "easy for you to say, Lady McKermit, Kermit the Frog is your power animal, how could you NOT be positive. But seriously, folks. I am a firm believer in the notion, "What you speak is what you create" I did some searching to try to find out the origin of that phrase but in the amalgam of inspirational things I read and listen to, it appears to be a good catch-phrase. If you, my dear reader, know otherwise please correct. The main point of this is to say, I am a patient person and getting better all the time not.. "Patience isn't one of my virtues" even in a self-deprecating way, you create that notion, you give it voice and it has power over you. In my life, I created the notion that I was bad at math, I said it over and over again despite the fact that when looking back at my grades in 1-6, I got A's and B's in math, until the sixth grade when I failed that class. I continued my struggle with numbers until recently when I discovered, ( I should say rediscovered ) I am good at them, I just needed to believe that I was. I have an accountability partner who helps me with this goal but now, I say, I am good at numbers and getting better all the time. Try it, what do you have to lose except your feeling of negativity?

Life is short. Love Hard its all there is...

Life is precious. Breathe in every single moment because they go by fast. My husband had hernia surgery today, and as we prepared for going to the hospital and checking in and all glamorous tasks that go along with major medical procedure such as power of attorney and end of life decisions. I thought wow, I am a blessed woman. I love this man with all my heart and I am so happy to be his wife. I was also thinking, Dear Lord, please do not take him away from me. As previously stated worry is not a helpful action. Taking action is ten times better than worrying about what is happening. Its a lot easier to not worry when all the control is in someone else's hands. In this case God's in the form of a very competent surgeon and four nurses who cared excellently for my husband, and he came through with flying colors, as I had faith he would. I have heard it said that one can not trust God and worry at the same time, its true. My faith was tested today, its not something I talk about everyday but I am grateful for God's presence in that operating room and in the kind and loving hands of the nurses who treated him. I found it best to consider them an extension of my loving care, in absentia. I couldn't be there, so I let them do their jobs and trusted that God would guide them and he did.

A life lived in fear is a life half lived

A life lived in fear is a life half lived.... so easy to say but doing it, that's the hurdle. April 12, 2011 springs to mind, I did a stand up routine for the first time and it was a success, I was jumping out of my skin, and nervous and excited but I had the ultimate escape hatch, it was my first time doing stand up. Not true today. Tonight I give my 10th speech to a group of strangers. You would think that being an actor, I wouldn't be nervous but you would be wrong. I thought about it and thought about it and wrote the speech two weeks ago but in a way I have been prepped to give this speech for a long time, which makes it all the more crucial to get it right. I know it won't be perfect, but I am determined to give it my best shot. What will you do today that scares you?

Stop waiting for the other shoe.....

Don't worry. Worry is interest paid on a debt that never comes due. "The Spanish Prisoner" Think about that. You are paying interest on something that isn't owed. No worry collector is going to come knocking at your door to say, you had a job interview and didn't worry about it so now, you don't get the job. The worry was your pass to get it. That would be ridiculous. Then it stands to follow, you won't profit from worrying. Ever. That is not to say that feeling a desire to do your best and DO all you can do to bring about a positive outcome is not required. It is and more often than not, it will result in you achieving your goals. The next time you start to worry, no matter what the cause, focus instead on what you want to happen, and review all the steps you took thus far to get there and examine if there is anything else you can do. If not, let it go and move on to the next item that needs your attention, trust me, its just around the corner and you CAN handle it!

Don't be defined by your past!

"Regrets are a waste of time. They're the past crippling you in the present." I enjoy this quote for a lot of reasons, one is that its from a movie I enjoy, "Under the Tuscan Sun" but the most important reason I like it is because it is true. Think about it, if you were to fall off your bicycle when you were very young, and being traumatized by the experience so much that you don't get on the bicycle ever again, think of what you miss out on? You would be so concentrated on the past and what went before you are unable to see the opportunities open to you here, and now. It could be your destiny to be the next Tour de France champion but because you skinned your knee and never got back up to try again, you never realized that dream. This same credo can be applied to falling in love, exercising, or learning a new language. If it is hard, its worth doing. What do you need to do to get beyond your past? Well that is a good question. What will YOU do to overcome your past and not be defined by it? Think about it!

Going for the "GOLD"

The recent Olympics inspired me to talk about goals, and while I am no athlete, *gym once a week, doesn't really count* I realize there are lots of corollaries to being a champion. The time that is devoted to one simple goal, "Gold" made me realize that while obstacles may seem insurmountable, they aren't. I find that in going for the "Gold" in your own life you can use that as a way to keep in mind the important components of that. G- for Good.. "Perfect is the enemy of the good"-Voltaire Sometimes you find that while you strive to be perfect, you will fail every time, but good is often enough of a move forward. Don't be so hard on yourself, good is better than nothing. O- Be Open to Obstacles. They often help clarify something you didn't know or expect and can be guideposts to the next step in what you want to accomplish. L- Listen. Listen. Listen. We have one mouth and two ears, you should bear this in mind and listen twice as much as you speak. Something someone else says or does could be the key to your forward motion. D- Dedication. Focus on your goal, ask others for help, and if necessary, rededicate yourself after a setback. Think about how you can "Go for the Gold" in your own life, work, and relationships.