Today the kids were up very early. They're early risers anyway, usually filling the house with yells and laughter by 7 a.m. This morning, for whatever reason, they were up a little before 6:20 a.m. So, we went through the motions, breakfast, snacks, drinks, supplements, shakes and so forth. Then I got a crazy idea: Why don't we walk to the park? We have an elementary school around the corner with a play ground.
We walked there and the kids climbed up to the highest slide and went down about 60 trillion times while I jogged laps around them for about 25 minutes (with High Knees and Sprints. I do love me some running).
On the way home, I pointed out all the flowers, trees, shrubs and leaves I could and we talked about them. I showed them acorns and oaks, and explained how everything the tiny seed needs to become a tree is right inside. The seed just needs the right conditions to grow. Good dirt, water, fresh air and sunshine. If the seed had all of those requirements, it would grow up to be a huge tree.
My 4 year old looked at all the acorns on the ground and looked back up at me. "Momma, that's a lot of trees!"
I went on to explain that not every seed would get those perfect conditions. Only a few of them would. God would make sure that the strongest seeds with the best potential to be a big ol' tree would grow. That was God's job.
I drew a parallel with the kids about people. How we have thoughts and feelings and God gave us free will, which means we get to choose how we want to grow. I told my girls about how God let us pick the conditions for ourselves to grow into. We could choose to grow into astronauts, or doctors, or gardeners, or secretaries or whatever we want to be.
The kids went on to make knock knock jokes, but our lovely little nature walk got me thinking. I've been on a learning curve lately, reading everything I can about personal finance, investing, real estate options, strength training, dietary recommendations, human psychology, charities, vlogging, marketing and, of course, biblical teachings to supplement my daily Bible readings. I want to grow in the area of finances so that I can have more to give more. I don't like only giving 10%, I want to really change the world, especially for kids in critical condition.
But it's my choice to grow. That's such a beautiful thing! Likewise, everyone I listen to as I go about my daily life that complains, whines or grumbles about their current circumstances is choosing to complain over changing and growing. Library cards are free--go get a new skill set so you can change your circumstances. It really is that easy. Know where you're going, and then read a book or listen to a CD/MP3 on how to get there. If you want to be a real estate tycoon, learn from Donald Trump or Robert Kiyosaki. If you're drowning in debt, learn from Dave Ramsey or David Bach.
Even if you have no idea where to start, make the decision to start. If you are homeless, you can still get a library card and get access to the internet and go from there. You always have the power to affect your situation, don't ever convince yourself otherwise.
Do you feel helpless? Do you want to change but still don't know how to get started? E-mail me and let me help you! mannateamkratos (at) gmail :)
Lizi
Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Think.
Here's a little brain food for your day.
Success is good habits repeated daily. Failure is poor habits repeated daily. Monitor your habits closely.
Figure out where you want to be in life. Write down your biggest dream, and then plan backwards to achieve it.
Get your financial house in order. If you don't know how to manage money, it doesn't matter how much of it you make, you'll never come out on top.
Make sweet memories with your friends and family. Journal about them, take pictures, post it on Facebook--have some place you can look over them again, treasure them, savor them. Life is too short not to.
Learn to give, really give, and expect nothing in return.
Before you can become great, you must master the basics.
Guard your thoughts. They're your treasures and will dictate how you act--growing forward or self-sabotaging?
And of course, my personal favorite and the tagline of our company: Live with an impact.
Blessings,
Lizi
Success is good habits repeated daily. Failure is poor habits repeated daily. Monitor your habits closely.
Figure out where you want to be in life. Write down your biggest dream, and then plan backwards to achieve it.
Get your financial house in order. If you don't know how to manage money, it doesn't matter how much of it you make, you'll never come out on top.
Make sweet memories with your friends and family. Journal about them, take pictures, post it on Facebook--have some place you can look over them again, treasure them, savor them. Life is too short not to.
Learn to give, really give, and expect nothing in return.
Before you can become great, you must master the basics.
Guard your thoughts. They're your treasures and will dictate how you act--growing forward or self-sabotaging?
And of course, my personal favorite and the tagline of our company: Live with an impact.
Blessings,
Lizi
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Connecting With Others
I love to talk to people and help people. Often, I come across as very exciting and enthusiastic, because I'm a driven and passionate person. I understand that some people don't like that sort of thing, but even sticklers who prefer an even keel of hidden emotions (I used to act like one, in fact--it's a long story) grudgingly smile at my quirky inner joy.
I think the reason that even people who want to dislike me can come around is because no matter who you are, where you came from, your past circumstances, your current circumstances, I can look past all of those things and listen to you. Really listen. And really care. I can relate to so many different aspects of other people because I've been where so many other people are or are going. I get it, I do.
My vision is to heal a hurting world, one broken heart at a time.
I think the reason that even people who want to dislike me can come around is because no matter who you are, where you came from, your past circumstances, your current circumstances, I can look past all of those things and listen to you. Really listen. And really care. I can relate to so many different aspects of other people because I've been where so many other people are or are going. I get it, I do.
My vision is to heal a hurting world, one broken heart at a time.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Giving Just Because
I had a goal today: Bless 7 people. That was it. No ulterior motives here. I'm not that kind of person anyway, just ask my husband. Anyway, I had many, many errands to run today and my Granny (my 85 year old American grandmother) had surgery on her femur due to a fall and I wanted to see her too.
My first errand involved the bookstore, where I needed to drop some stuff off and pick some literature up. When I dropped off my old books, the guy behind the counter needed to see my license. I showed it to him and he said, "What do you go by?"
I shrugged. "Elizabeth, Liz, Lizi, Beth, Betty--I've been called many things."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Lizi Ann?"
"That's a first," I said with a smile, walking away to the business section. I found a cool biography for my Grandpa to read while he hung out with my Granny, and a remastered cassette book with like 50 comedians from days gone by for my grandparents to listen to--they don't like the modern smut comedy.
From the loudspeaker, I hear, "Lizi Ann, your order is ready for pick up." I smiled at my new nickname and got my stuff. I walked around some more, browsing, then grabbed what I wanted and checked out.
Right before I touched the bar to push the door open, I remembered that I wanted to bless 7 people. I spun on my heel and walked back over to the bookstore guy who gave me the silly nickname. It's always nerve wracking to put yourself out there, isn't it? I waited until he looked up and then I said, "Hey, I just wanted to let you know I was grabbing this stuff for my grandparents. My grandma just had leg surgery and she isn't eating, so I was getting this stuff to cheer them up. I really appreciated your silly nickname, thank you."
He looked surprised, and said that he always tried to keep stuff light and silly to cheer people up. Now mind you--my husband and I are in there all the time. I'd seen this guy before and he had seen me with my spouse, so this wasn't some kind of weird thing. He knew I was crazy about my spouse. But he cheered me up on a really hard day, and so in turn I wanted to bless him by telling him why that silly little thing meant something to me.
My day continued much like that. I blessed an elderly gentleman outside of Quicktrip with a quarter for the payphone because his phone battery was dead and had him laughing about my kids eating pecans in our backyard and him telling me about growing up in a house with pecan trees. I blessed my Grandpa and Grandma with visits and presents, my Grandma's caretaker I blessed with a prayer, my Grandma's nurse I blessed with some kind words. I lost count by the end of the day, I just started making it my mission to bless everyone I came into contact with.
It was an awesome day, and I highly recommend everyone try to integrate it into their lives. You reach a point where you realize you set out to bless other people, but you really end up being the one who gets blessed the most.
Lizi
My first errand involved the bookstore, where I needed to drop some stuff off and pick some literature up. When I dropped off my old books, the guy behind the counter needed to see my license. I showed it to him and he said, "What do you go by?"
I shrugged. "Elizabeth, Liz, Lizi, Beth, Betty--I've been called many things."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Lizi Ann?"
"That's a first," I said with a smile, walking away to the business section. I found a cool biography for my Grandpa to read while he hung out with my Granny, and a remastered cassette book with like 50 comedians from days gone by for my grandparents to listen to--they don't like the modern smut comedy.
From the loudspeaker, I hear, "Lizi Ann, your order is ready for pick up." I smiled at my new nickname and got my stuff. I walked around some more, browsing, then grabbed what I wanted and checked out.
Right before I touched the bar to push the door open, I remembered that I wanted to bless 7 people. I spun on my heel and walked back over to the bookstore guy who gave me the silly nickname. It's always nerve wracking to put yourself out there, isn't it? I waited until he looked up and then I said, "Hey, I just wanted to let you know I was grabbing this stuff for my grandparents. My grandma just had leg surgery and she isn't eating, so I was getting this stuff to cheer them up. I really appreciated your silly nickname, thank you."
He looked surprised, and said that he always tried to keep stuff light and silly to cheer people up. Now mind you--my husband and I are in there all the time. I'd seen this guy before and he had seen me with my spouse, so this wasn't some kind of weird thing. He knew I was crazy about my spouse. But he cheered me up on a really hard day, and so in turn I wanted to bless him by telling him why that silly little thing meant something to me.
My day continued much like that. I blessed an elderly gentleman outside of Quicktrip with a quarter for the payphone because his phone battery was dead and had him laughing about my kids eating pecans in our backyard and him telling me about growing up in a house with pecan trees. I blessed my Grandpa and Grandma with visits and presents, my Grandma's caretaker I blessed with a prayer, my Grandma's nurse I blessed with some kind words. I lost count by the end of the day, I just started making it my mission to bless everyone I came into contact with.
It was an awesome day, and I highly recommend everyone try to integrate it into their lives. You reach a point where you realize you set out to bless other people, but you really end up being the one who gets blessed the most.
Lizi
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Where Has The Time Gone?
Have you ever gotten to the end of the day and asked yourself that question? Do you frequently feel like you tried your hardest but you have nothing to show for it? Let's look at some ways to manage time more effectively to have results to show for it at the end of the day.
#1. Define Your Goals--Some people are into structure, some aren't. I recommend doing what works for you. If writing 3 things you want to do by the end of the day on the back of a receipt and sticking it in your pocket works for you, then do it! I don't care. I like having a day planner with time blocked off for each part of my day, with my running "To Do" list on the side. I can tell you right now, though, that if I asked my brother to keep one, it would never get written in. Ever. He's a "back of the receipt" kind of guy, and you know what? It works beautifully for him. So define your goals and put them somewhere. A secondary thing to do, once you have a focus for your activities, is to prioritize them. For example, I have a goal of working out for 30 minutes every day. It's a priority for me. Another priority for me is to learn something new. If I have 2 hours left in my day, I might try a new workout. Why? Because both of these things are priorities for me and I have a limited amount of time, so I'll learn a new workout for bonus points. Let's say in this 2 hours left scenario I also needed to...I don't know...return Library books. I might just bump that to the next day, because while returning them is important, the library books won't impact my health like working out will.
#2. Bust Time Wasters--If you frequently find yourself intimidated by your To Do list and jumping on FaceBook to compensate, you need to become aware of your bad habits and cut it out. If you are supposed to be setting up lunch meetings and instead you grab a coffee and hang out on Twitter for an hour, become aware of it and cut it out. A good way to catch yourself at this is to write down everything you do, every 15 minutes for 1 day. Don't lie to yourself and don't hold back. From when you wake up, begin recording even the mundane details. I realized I spent about 40 minutes every day just staring into space thinking of what to do next. That's what led me to a to do list! Almost an hour wasted literally doing nothing (not that thinking is bad, it's not, I still spend plenty of time doing it, but there's no need for me to stand around figuring out what to do next instead of having a plan of action that I wrote up yesterday and charging forward! Then I get to spend more time with my kids and husband after completing my To Do's :) )
#3. Rinse and Repeat--There's a Japanese Proverb that says, "Beginning is easy. Continuing is hard." My sentiments exactly! Don't just do this once or twice and then write it off. If you want a successful life, you have to change the way you do things. If you want to get healthy, you have to change the way you eat. If you want to catch a rainbow trout, you have to have a certain bait. You see where I'm going with these analogies? If you're unhappy with your life--MAKE A CHANGE! And then keep doing what is successful and modify what is unsuccessful.
Just never, ever stop. A friend of mine once pointed out that in Texas, Highway 45 runs all the way from DFW to Houston. And it doesn't matter if you go 50 miles an hour or 5 miles an hour--you'll get to Houston. Just don't lay down and don't turn around.
Lizi
#1. Define Your Goals--Some people are into structure, some aren't. I recommend doing what works for you. If writing 3 things you want to do by the end of the day on the back of a receipt and sticking it in your pocket works for you, then do it! I don't care. I like having a day planner with time blocked off for each part of my day, with my running "To Do" list on the side. I can tell you right now, though, that if I asked my brother to keep one, it would never get written in. Ever. He's a "back of the receipt" kind of guy, and you know what? It works beautifully for him. So define your goals and put them somewhere. A secondary thing to do, once you have a focus for your activities, is to prioritize them. For example, I have a goal of working out for 30 minutes every day. It's a priority for me. Another priority for me is to learn something new. If I have 2 hours left in my day, I might try a new workout. Why? Because both of these things are priorities for me and I have a limited amount of time, so I'll learn a new workout for bonus points. Let's say in this 2 hours left scenario I also needed to...I don't know...return Library books. I might just bump that to the next day, because while returning them is important, the library books won't impact my health like working out will.
#2. Bust Time Wasters--If you frequently find yourself intimidated by your To Do list and jumping on FaceBook to compensate, you need to become aware of your bad habits and cut it out. If you are supposed to be setting up lunch meetings and instead you grab a coffee and hang out on Twitter for an hour, become aware of it and cut it out. A good way to catch yourself at this is to write down everything you do, every 15 minutes for 1 day. Don't lie to yourself and don't hold back. From when you wake up, begin recording even the mundane details. I realized I spent about 40 minutes every day just staring into space thinking of what to do next. That's what led me to a to do list! Almost an hour wasted literally doing nothing (not that thinking is bad, it's not, I still spend plenty of time doing it, but there's no need for me to stand around figuring out what to do next instead of having a plan of action that I wrote up yesterday and charging forward! Then I get to spend more time with my kids and husband after completing my To Do's :) )
#3. Rinse and Repeat--There's a Japanese Proverb that says, "Beginning is easy. Continuing is hard." My sentiments exactly! Don't just do this once or twice and then write it off. If you want a successful life, you have to change the way you do things. If you want to get healthy, you have to change the way you eat. If you want to catch a rainbow trout, you have to have a certain bait. You see where I'm going with these analogies? If you're unhappy with your life--MAKE A CHANGE! And then keep doing what is successful and modify what is unsuccessful.
Just never, ever stop. A friend of mine once pointed out that in Texas, Highway 45 runs all the way from DFW to Houston. And it doesn't matter if you go 50 miles an hour or 5 miles an hour--you'll get to Houston. Just don't lay down and don't turn around.
Lizi
Monday, October 29, 2012
And We Work It Out!
I have changed my workout routine. I am a very driven person, and if allowed to do my own thing, I'll run myself into the ground, lay there for a second, then get up and keep running. That's just how I'm wired. I'm ready to rock and roll all the time, I talk really fast and animated (as you'll see more of with the Vlogging I'll be posting) and I love to run!
When I left weights, I have to be very careful about my form because I favor explosive, dynamic, high intensity training versus slow, steady lifting. Again, this can obviously have a giant downside, and I'm super grateful for my sweet, muscular, weight-lifting husband who watches me and is like "Slow down crazy woman! Enjoy the burn." --He's right, too, when you focus on the muscle your working on (example: bicep curls) and instead of doing 21's like I favor, you lift and then oh so slowly release you'll go much farther with less reps.
So, where oh where can I turn to in the fitness world to force myself to slow down and focus on what I'm doing instead of concentrate on burning off my extra energy with running or calisthetic exercises?
When I left weights, I have to be very careful about my form because I favor explosive, dynamic, high intensity training versus slow, steady lifting. Again, this can obviously have a giant downside, and I'm super grateful for my sweet, muscular, weight-lifting husband who watches me and is like "Slow down crazy woman! Enjoy the burn." --He's right, too, when you focus on the muscle your working on (example: bicep curls) and instead of doing 21's like I favor, you lift and then oh so slowly release you'll go much farther with less reps.
So, where oh where can I turn to in the fitness world to force myself to slow down and focus on what I'm doing instead of concentrate on burning off my extra energy with running or calisthetic exercises?
Did you figure it out yet? :p
Yoga, of course! Now I went through everything on wonderful Youtube.com last night looking for a routine that worked for me. I personally can't do a routine if it involves laying still and concentrating on your breath. So, I bookmarked a couple of these for me in the morning, when I need peace of mind the most:
This is Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown Level 1:
And here is Sadie Nadini's 20 minute Weight Loss & Fat Burning Routine:
Both of these were fun--especially the part where my cute little 4 year old was trying to do yoga with me last night haha! She likes to make it dangerous. Like crawling under my downward facing dog and popping up, missing my nose by a hair's breadth! I should film that and call it "Ultimate Adrenaline Yoga For Moms!"
So, my new routine, again customizable to my daily level of crazy, is:
Morning: Yoga routine 15-30 mins
Noon-ish: Going on a run (preferably) or a Core Workout (Like Sean Vigue with Motley Fitness, he's amaaaazing!)
Afternoon: If I still have energy left to burn, or have to skip my noon routine, I like to do the Supreme 90 videos right now. I am ashamed to admit sometimes I curse the day Tom Holland (he's the host) was born in the middle of a routine, but by the end of it I mentally apologize to him because I feel amazing :)
I hope these little glimpses into my world help to inspire you to keep growing and changing and adapting to a healthier, happier lifestyle!!! :)
Lizi
Friday, October 19, 2012
Driven Mindset
I've learned several things over the years:
Time management is very important.
People are very important.
Controlling your thoughts is very important.
And giving back is very important.
So when I have a day where I am nervous about trying something new, or talking to someone unfamiliar, or doing something differently, I remind myself of what is important. I can't ever renew my time, so wasting it on dumb things that don't help me at all shouldn't be an option. I should never put my fear of talking to new people above the knowledge that there are people in this world actively looking to lose weight and get healthy, and by letting fear stop me, I'm contributing to the awful way they feel. I shouldn't let fear, doubt or worry burden my thoughts, because the Bible says "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). I know that giving blesses me and the person I am giving to, more than I will ever see or know, and that I should perpetuate a giving spirit in myself and encourage it in others.
This is what I'm digging on today, I hope it inspires you to banish fear, prioritize, get your thoughts under control and CRUSH IT today!
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Time management is very important.
People are very important.
Controlling your thoughts is very important.
And giving back is very important.
So when I have a day where I am nervous about trying something new, or talking to someone unfamiliar, or doing something differently, I remind myself of what is important. I can't ever renew my time, so wasting it on dumb things that don't help me at all shouldn't be an option. I should never put my fear of talking to new people above the knowledge that there are people in this world actively looking to lose weight and get healthy, and by letting fear stop me, I'm contributing to the awful way they feel. I shouldn't let fear, doubt or worry burden my thoughts, because the Bible says "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). I know that giving blesses me and the person I am giving to, more than I will ever see or know, and that I should perpetuate a giving spirit in myself and encourage it in others.
This is what I'm digging on today, I hope it inspires you to banish fear, prioritize, get your thoughts under control and CRUSH IT today!
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Humble & Relateable
Do you remember Bill Cosby's "Kid's Say The Darndest Things" show? I didn't actively watch it, but I remember my grandparents watching it and laughing until they cried. I never really understood why until I had children of my own.
It's about relate-ability. My grandma and grandpa took my dad, brother and myself in after my parents divorced until my dad could get on his feet as a single parent. So, in essence, in their late 60's they became parents again while our dad worked crazy hours to establish himself here in Texas.
I can remember some of the crazy things we put them through. My grandma was forever trying to teach me manners and get me to take an interest in little girl things. I was a tom boy and I was very jaded and mature from my childhood, so when I wasn't reading I was outside climbing trees or catching bugs. Well, Grandma went to a garage sale across the street and bought me some Barbies, encouraging me to take an interest in girly toys over catching bugs. I have no idea why I reacted this way, but I grabbed an empty Whitman's Chocolate sampler box, filled it up with hundreds of roly-polies and let them loose in her living room! That was a rare, childish and impulsive moment for me, but I can understand a little better why she'd watch the "Kids Say The Darndest Things" show and laugh--because she saw again first hand how silly and reactive kids can be, and she (and my Grandpa) related to the feeling of trying to be the adult in a humorous situation.
My brother got into all kinds of little boy craziness--urinating outside instead of using the inside toilet (which I'm told by girlfriends with little boys that this is not an uncommon issue for young misters!), rough housing with neighborhood boys, leaving Lego pieces everywhere to be stepped on in the middle of the night, waking up the entire house hold to find his red Power Ranger before bed and so forth. At the time, it was a hassle to clean the mess and find the lost toys--but looking back, it was an honor to be trusted to look for his most prized possessions.
How many times has someone reached out to you, only for you to ignore or belittle them? Do you cultivate your ability to relate to other people? Or are you too busy to stop and open up a little?
This morning my daughter had what was a very important conversation to her with me. She was listing everything that she thought she might want for Christmas.
"And a Barbie playhouse, and a Strawberry Shortcake City...and...and..." Her little face scrunched up, then fell apart. "Oh mamma, I was thinking too much and I forgot everything that I wanted."
I smiled. It was 6:45 a.m. and I just wanted to drink my coffee. However, thinking about that "Kids Say The Darndest Things" show, and about how many people need you to just open up and relate to them, I set aside my wants. "Well baby, maybe you should think it over again, but make your list a little smaller, that way you can be more grateful for what you have, and not focus so much on what you want."
She nodded. "OK. I love you mommy, I'll be thankful."
If I allowed myself to be brusque and rude, and consider MY time and MY desires the MOST important thing, I would've missed hearing what my daughter was really saying. Behind her little Christmas list, she was saying, "I need to talk to you. I need your help. I need you to see me being a big girl and thinking this through and to recognize my forethought."
I am so thankful I caught her message and cultivated that moment with her. Life is a series of these little moments, will you be too wrapped up in yourself to see them? Or can you decide to change, to listen to what someone else is saying, what someone else needs from you?
Lizi
It's about relate-ability. My grandma and grandpa took my dad, brother and myself in after my parents divorced until my dad could get on his feet as a single parent. So, in essence, in their late 60's they became parents again while our dad worked crazy hours to establish himself here in Texas.
I can remember some of the crazy things we put them through. My grandma was forever trying to teach me manners and get me to take an interest in little girl things. I was a tom boy and I was very jaded and mature from my childhood, so when I wasn't reading I was outside climbing trees or catching bugs. Well, Grandma went to a garage sale across the street and bought me some Barbies, encouraging me to take an interest in girly toys over catching bugs. I have no idea why I reacted this way, but I grabbed an empty Whitman's Chocolate sampler box, filled it up with hundreds of roly-polies and let them loose in her living room! That was a rare, childish and impulsive moment for me, but I can understand a little better why she'd watch the "Kids Say The Darndest Things" show and laugh--because she saw again first hand how silly and reactive kids can be, and she (and my Grandpa) related to the feeling of trying to be the adult in a humorous situation.
My brother got into all kinds of little boy craziness--urinating outside instead of using the inside toilet (which I'm told by girlfriends with little boys that this is not an uncommon issue for young misters!), rough housing with neighborhood boys, leaving Lego pieces everywhere to be stepped on in the middle of the night, waking up the entire house hold to find his red Power Ranger before bed and so forth. At the time, it was a hassle to clean the mess and find the lost toys--but looking back, it was an honor to be trusted to look for his most prized possessions.
How many times has someone reached out to you, only for you to ignore or belittle them? Do you cultivate your ability to relate to other people? Or are you too busy to stop and open up a little?
My girls, making a huge mess
This morning my daughter had what was a very important conversation to her with me. She was listing everything that she thought she might want for Christmas.
"And a Barbie playhouse, and a Strawberry Shortcake City...and...and..." Her little face scrunched up, then fell apart. "Oh mamma, I was thinking too much and I forgot everything that I wanted."
I smiled. It was 6:45 a.m. and I just wanted to drink my coffee. However, thinking about that "Kids Say The Darndest Things" show, and about how many people need you to just open up and relate to them, I set aside my wants. "Well baby, maybe you should think it over again, but make your list a little smaller, that way you can be more grateful for what you have, and not focus so much on what you want."
She nodded. "OK. I love you mommy, I'll be thankful."
If I allowed myself to be brusque and rude, and consider MY time and MY desires the MOST important thing, I would've missed hearing what my daughter was really saying. Behind her little Christmas list, she was saying, "I need to talk to you. I need your help. I need you to see me being a big girl and thinking this through and to recognize my forethought."
I am so thankful I caught her message and cultivated that moment with her. Life is a series of these little moments, will you be too wrapped up in yourself to see them? Or can you decide to change, to listen to what someone else is saying, what someone else needs from you?
Lizi
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Dream Big
I don't have much time tonight, but I still wanted to say something.
Don't limit yourself.
Don't suffocate your desires under excuses.
Dream big.
Take risks.
Is this cheesy? Somewhat.
But we all need to hear it.
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