You’re my people…

Have you ever wanted to do something so badly, but put it off so many times that you almost gave up completely? I mean so badly – with the best of intentions – but you feel like you’ve already failed, so why bother?

“People will think I’m crazy if I do it this late…”
“I doubt anyone even cares about this anymore…”
“It won’t even make a difference at this point…”

That’s been me with my weekly e-news and blog… let’s be honest… for a while now! It’s worse than a relationship I was in several years ago…on again, off again, on again, off again…

Every time I quit, I say I’m going to start back. And every time I DO start back, I quit again when things get busy or when things get difficult. In the last year, I’ve lost friends who I thought would always be beside me, I’ve lost jobs I thought for sure were mine to get, and I’ve lost six family members to death – including my mother. But those are just excuses. One after another after another.

“You cannot cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”

I’m so grateful for the friends, family members, business associates and Rotarians around the globe who encourage me, support me and remind me to never, ever give up on my dreams and goals. I’ve run into people all across this country who ask, “When are you going to send another one of those great emails? I miss your quotes and stories!”

If you’re reading this today, you are one of those people, you’re “my people,” and I thank you. And I’d like to be one of those people for you in return.

Let’s do this…together…again. Are you with me? Leave me a comment below and let me know how I can encourage you. What do you want to start new or again?

Patience (ugh!)

If you know me well, ok, even if you know me a little, you already know patience is NOT one of my virtues. I want to change things NOW. I want to be finished NOW. I want to see the results NOW. I’m not very good at being patient.

I’m trying to work on that. In fact, it’s my “new month resolution” for February. Too often when we lack patience, we give up before we ever see success.

I’m not convinced I buy into this whole thing of patience being a “virtue,” which by definition is a “moral excellence” or an “admirable quality.”  My need for patience doesn’t always relate to morals. And if I ever do get it I don’t think I should be admired for it.

I think patience is a learned behavior. Don’t misunderstand – it’s an important one – but it is learned through tests and obstacles. And I don’t need to be admired for acquiring it. Instead that will be an internal victory for me.

Bottom line we all need to remember is that if we develop patience, we can meet our long-term dreams and goals. I’ve seen that to be true firsthand in some areas of my life, and now I am applying it to all the other areas.

Don’t give up what you want most for what you want now. Be patient. It will be worth it!