Categories
Attitude Motivation Cartoons

When Life Pitches you a Curveball

sketch of a baseball doing a lool de loop 

I didn’t expect to be in Ohio/Indiana until Christmas day. But life throws you a few curveballs throughout the innings we call decades. There’s a few too many metaphors in that last sentence, isn’t there? I’m not even a rabid baseball fan (However, I did love the way this year’s World Series ended. Good job, Royals!). 

Last Friday, we thought we were going to lose a loved one. Today, things have improved greatly for him. It has made this Thanksgiving so much more meaningful. However, we have also been reminded that time is finite and we can’t take every day for granted.

Through the last several months, I’ve learned there are a few ways to cope when life throws you a curveball.

  • Be flexible: we are far less in control than any of us would like to admit. Changes will happen that you can’t predict or plan for. When unexpected blessings or trials come, be flexible enough to move with the situation.
  • Count your blessings: No matter how dire things may seem, there is always something to be thankful for. Whether it’s family, the ability to move, or even another day to experience life, there is some reason to have gratitude.
  • Plan for what you CAN do: It is good to talk with loved ones about what to do in an emergency or a challenge. Have insurance. Think about what to do in a scanario. It is also good to have a winter coat waiting for you when you fly from Arziona to Ohio. Is that too specific? Choose your own scenario. 

We will all face some unexpected challenges. Through those situations, be an overcomer. Don’t let those curveballs strike you out! I’m rooting for you! 

Categories
Career

11/12/15 – The Power of You – Career Connectors

Scottsdale hills
Scottsdale hills (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I had the privilege to blog for last week’s Career Connector’s event in Scottsdale. Gloria Petersen with Global Protocol gave us great advice on presenting ourselves in the best light. She also challenged us to make challenges work for us, not against us. Here is an excerpt and link to the blog recap:

Determination is what it takes to beat the odds.  When Gloria went through a trial, she had to persevere to make it through the other side. That is the power of each one of us. […]

Source: 11/12/15 – The Power of You – Career Connectors

Categories
motivation

5 Steps to Learning From defeat

"If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost." Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar always had a way of distilling so much into one sound bite! This quote got my mind racing. Have I learned from defeats? Have I learned the right lessons? Nobody likes defeat. It’s especially hard when we gave it all we could and we still come up short.

Categories
Motivation Cartoons

Keep failing and keep enduring!

Cartoon of a jogging couple
Run the race with perseverance | kevin@kevinspear.com

There was an article in my morning newspaper about an Anderson University professor who gets to participate in Google X lab.

AU professor invited to secret Google X lab » Local News » The Herald Bulletin.

Professor Scott Kennedy talked about the point of research is to fail sometimes. Not only is that the point of research, but it’s also the point of getting anywhere in life. Professor Kennedy says,

I am always telling my students that the point of research is to fail sometimes, to mess up and learn from what happened, what didn’t happen and what didn’t work. You can’t be afraid to try something.

This goes perfectly with the lesson I will be teaching the kids in large group this morning. It’s about endurance: sticking with what you started even when things get tough. Here is the verse for the month:

Let us not become tired of doing good. At the right time we will gather a crop if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9

Whether it’s science, business, parenting or doing good, we will eventually succeed if we do these things:

  • Keep our eye on the goal
  • Work on them daily
  • Change our tactics or steps when they aren’t working so we can keep moving towards the goal

Go ahead and fail today. If we keep at it and work towards the goal, we will reap that reward in the end.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Categories
School Cartoons

Plugging Hope at School

Cartoon of two students. A boy says, "Should we abandon all hope, or keep plugging through fourth grade?"

Cartoon of two students. A boy says, “Should we abandon all hope, or keep plugging through fourth grade?”

Sometimes, it just feels like hope is a distant goal to grasp, doesn’t it? I remember hoping and praying that school would be over soon. Thirty years later, I can tell you there’s hope. Hold on. You’re break will be here before you know it.