How thankful are you for what you have? Seems like a weird question I know. I don’t know about you, but it’s easy for me to get hung up on what I don’t have, or what I’m missing, instead of thinking about how blessed I am, I have a friend in the hospital right now, dealing with some very serious issues. Issues that you wouldn’t think about having to deal with in your 30s.

I have another friend who fights through pain everyday, and does it with  smile. I have a wheelchair yes, but in all other aspects of my life, including my health, I am extraordinarily blessed. It’s very easy for me to lose track of that. It takes some serious wisdom and patience to learn to be content with where you are in life. No matter how tough your life is, you probably have something you can be thankful for. I have learned that if I don’t reflect on what I’m thankful for on a regular basis, the pressures and darkness of everyday life can overtake me, Today I am thankful for being healthy. I’m also thankful for good friends and family who I know love me. What are you thankful for?

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I have had it pointed out to me several times over the last year that the way that I think about things could maybe use a little work. I think that’s probably true for all of us. “Nobody is perfect” if you stop and think about it, you can probably think of some aspect of your life that needs work.

Whether it’s your attitude, your communication skills or the way you interact with others, we all need work. In my case, I usually don’t perceive that I could be better a person and In a particular area until someone points it out. I think we all have that person in our lives who can point out our flaws in a way that we can handle and not be offended.

In my case I tend to have issues not seeing the big picture. I struggle with the idea that it is not always about right now. Take this blog for example, I would love to get paid for doing this. It’s probably not going to happen but I would love it. More than likely doing this blog Will eventually lead me to something else in the future that could be my next step. I may never be paid for doing this but I might develop a skill that will be useful in my next job.

In this case I’m using making money on the blog as a way to illustrate other similar situations I’ve struggled with recently. It took a very special person in my life to point out that I wasn’t focused on the future as I should be. If anyone else had said that to me I probably wouldn’t have taken it well. Instead I have decided to change that aspect of myself for the better. It’s hard to admit that I don’t know everything and that I’m not always right when this happens. That said, every time I’ve listened and make the effort, it has paid off for me in the long run.

What would you change about yourself to become better?

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I’ve been sick this week.  Nothing major, just want those colds  that sucks all your energy and makes you want to sleep. Today was my day off so I slept extremely late. The rest of the week I’ve had work to do and have literally had to make myself get up. I saw this picture and it reminded me of Dr. Leigh. 

It didn’t matter if you were sick or tired or had had a bad week. If you showed up for something she expected you to work. I was in a wheelchair and she didn’t cut me any slack. Her attitude has served me well as I’ve gotten older, and I have had more and more days where I just don’t feel particularly good. Some days you need to take a break and rest but I have noticed that when I push through what I need to get done, regardless of how I feel I actually feel better because i’ve accomplished something. If you are struggling at work while reading this, just remember, the weekend is only a few days away.

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I believe humans make bad decisions and mistakes, simply because we are not in the right frame of mind to handle what is placed before us on a given day.

Bad days are going to happen, no matter how fabulous your life it is. On a bad day, whether you realize it or not your judgment is probably clouded.

The main key to not doing something boneheaded is being able to identify when you’re not in the appropriate mental state to make a big decision. Today is the one year anniversary of the murder of a very close friend of mine. You can read more about her here Today, I’m aware that I am in no mental shape to make any decision more important than what I’m going to eat next.

If I had a major decision to make today, I’d do my best to put it off till tomorrow, or maybe even next week. This is why people make mistakes when they’re drunk(Think back, you’ve probably made at least one). We are smart people, but even a little emotion has the potential to drastically affect our decisions. You’ll be amazed how much better your decisions turnout when you think them through with a clear head.

Bad day’s will happen. When they do, Focus your energy on getting through them, and improving your outlook. Don’t worry about much else. You will thank yourself in the morning. For more info on this topic read this

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I’ve seen more  damage  done buy low self-esteem and  doubt then anything else.  I’ve had my fair share of both. I learned during my struggles of getting a broadcasting degree that you can read about right here and here, that if you don’t believe in yourself, very few other people will. I’m not saying you won’t have supporters, you will but you will have lots more critics. They are never nice and they almost never have your best interests in mind. We all struggle, and it’s always hard. If you are struggling with low self-esteem or doubt it’s even harder. The past is called the past for a reason. It doesn’t matter anymore, and you can’t change it. You were put here for a very specific reason. You have skills and abilities that no one else on earth has.

The walls that you have built can keep you from finding your true potential. You are unique and special. Whatever has happened to you, has given you prospective that no one else has.

I have a wheelchair. No one sees the world like I do. Other people in wheelchairs have had different life experiences than me and almost certainly see the world differently than I do. My chair is an obstacle. A wall for me to get over. In the process of life it has made me strong, give me a will to fight, and not allow it to conquer me. Whatever the reason was that you built your walls, it’s time to take them down and start working towards being the person you want to be.

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I’m a hard worker. I work everyday on something. Lots of the work that I do doesn’t pay me, and I don’t get a pat on the back for it. There’s so much that I want for my life. When I was in my 20s I knew I needed a personal assistant. I searched for someone who could do the job, and a way to pay them, for more than 10 years. I now  have that. I have more independence now than I’ve ever had in my life. I had to wait a really long time to get it. Now I want to travel and speak and spend time with friends that I love. I want it now, yesterday.

I ask myself sometimes why I have to wait for what seems like such a basic thing. I don’t know the answer to that question right now, but I do know there’s probably a good reason, and the timing needs to be right. I know what I want will come when the time is right.

Never doubt your desires or ambitions. Do the work and wait. The waiting is the hardest part. You may not get exactly what you want, but what you get will probably be exactly what you need.

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