The Missing Link

October 28th, 2013

Contrary to popular opinion, most people do have goals and plans. Some plans are vague and some are very specific but in the vast majority of cases, if those goals and plans don’t work out there is one specific cause, one common missing link. The missing link here is what powers our dreams and imagination. It is the essential ingredient for success in any area of our lives. It is irreplaceable in business, relationships and especially in regards to our health. It is…

ENTHUSIASM!! (USC band starts playing, confetti and balloons shower down, people start hugging each other and jumping up and down!) YES! That kind of enthusiasm. The higher the level of enthusiasm and the more prolonged the feeling of enthusiasm, the better the chances of success. Not only that but the happiness indicators go through the roof.

What happens when you first fall in love? It’s like Gene Kelly dancing in Singing in the Rain. Over the top joy and enthusiasm. How about a wedding, birth, promotion, visit from a loved one, a joyous holiday, a graduation, the final payment on a house, the planning of an adventure. All of these thing spark our enthusiasm for a great future. And when we are enthusiastic about our future, all is very, very well.

We can reverse engineer this too. If we start smiling and we adopt an everything is possible attitude and we put on our rose colored glasses and we tell doubt and worry to get lost, we can bring enthusiasm into anything we do and with enough enthusiasm, our world changes quickly.

The root of the word enthusiasm is from the ancient Greek word “enthous” meaning possessed and inspired by God. Does that sound like a good fit for you and anything you want to accomplish? Let’s get a little rah-rah about our work and our health and our future. Let’s stop talking about that hand basket and it’s fiery destination and let’s get ourselves enthusiastic about our life, our possibilities and our blessings. Ready for a change?

(c)2013 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life

 

Chang who?

October 21st, 2013

“I’ve talked until I’m blue in the face and nothing changes.” It doesn’t matter if you have said this about a boss, an employee, a coworker, a friend, a parent, a spouse or a child. What does matter is that you are making yourself upset because you forgot the first rule of living on this planet. You can’t change someone else if they don’t want to change.

It doesn’t matter if you have the very best intentions or if you are doing it out of a deep love and caring for the other person. You can’t change someone else if they don’t want to change. You can guilt, bribe, ignore, threaten or shame but the result will be temporary at best.

“So what am I suppose to do? Just sit idly by and let them ruin their lives, their career, their relationship, their health, etc.?” Emphatically NO! You are not suppose to sit idly by. You are suppose to follow the second rule of living on this planet. You are suppose to work on you.

You are supposed to aspire and work toward excellence in every aspect of your own life. Your duty is to become loving, caring, compassionate and even-tempered. Your duty is to embrace all that is good and project the optimism that comes from living a spirit centered life. In other words, you are to become the best example of what you talk about.

If someone is inclined to change, your example will be their blueprint. Your words may be ignored or forgotten but the image of who you have become will never leave them. If, every day, you work on your happiness, honesty, love and being non-judgemental you will become worthy of being copied. That’s your reward. If someone in your life tries to change themselves because of your example, that’s a bonus.

(c)2013 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life

 

Got Problems?

October 14th, 2013

“I’m wet! I’m wet!” and the child keeps running around crying and yelling for an answer to being uncomfortably wet. Meanwhile the parent is saying over and over again “Come over here. I’ll change you into some dry clothes.” But the child can’t hear the parent’s request because the child is so completely captivated by their problem. Sound familiar?

Oh, I don’t mean does this bring up memories of children in similar situations. I’m talking about you and me all grown up and still, at times, running around shouting our problem to the world, oblivious to any answer.

In this world there are problems and there are solutions. Problems and solutions never occur together because if they did they would cancel each other out immediately. Once you understand the problem it is imperative to get away from the problem and seek the solution. That is one of the premier ways we grow.

We don’t have to constantly repeat our problem in prayer either. Heaven is not hard of hearing nor is it forgetful. A continuing prayer to see or hear a solution is all that is necessary.

The eight steps to find the solution to any problem are to 1) Understand the problem. 2) Quit blubbering and whining. 3) Quit running around shouting your problem to the world. 4) Relax, really relax. 5) Pray/ask for a solution 6) BELIEVE that the answer is forthcoming 7) Be THANKFUL that it is. 8) When you get it, share your solution with others and be unattached to what they do with that information.

Truth – there will never be an end to your problems. They are an essential part of every life. EVERYONE is working on at least one or two so take it easy on each other.

(c)2013 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life

 

Are you lucky?

October 7th, 2013

Some people say good luck is random. Others say it’s karmic. Still others say that we create our own luck. There are also those unsmiling people who say that there is no such thing as good luck. Stay away from those people. Even if they are right about some things, they will suck the joy out of you and life is way too short to spend any time at all with joy suckers.

The truth of the matter is that good luck is always with you. Right now there are billions of germs, bacterias, viruses and other nasties that are trying to devour you. If you are alive, you are winning. Very good luck.

Ever see someone years later who you wanted to date back in the day but didn’t? Very good luck. How about the advice from someone close to you that you didn’t follow. Very good luck too. And how about the time, maybe after a few drinks, that you wanted to do something crazy but someone talked you out of it. Again, very good luck.

Now let’s take a look at your over the top good luck. How about you sit still for a moment and think of your family (the ones you actually like) and what they have meant to you. How about those special, I mean really special people in your life, aren’t they the luckiest thing that ever happened to you? Look around. Aren’t you extremely lucky to have the material possessions that you have?

Yes, you were born with good luck and you will live all of your days with good luck and if by chance something happens to you that doesn’t seem particularly lucky, give it some time. You’ll see that even the things that didn’t seem fortuitous actually were. Lucky you!

(c)2013 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life