If you Believe, you can Achieve...

What are your dreams? 

How can you achieve the things you have always wanted?  That's easy, two words - work hard.  Wow, that being said, I am done writing about this.  What did you think about my blog entry?  O, that isn't enough?  You are right, that isn't enough.  There is much more to do then just work hard.  Though, that should be enough.

You have to not only work hard, you have to believe in yourself, believe in the power that you can be a success, however you define success.  Believing you can make your dreams come true is probably one of the hardest beliefs to achieve.  Let's think about that.  How can you get what you want, while working hard, believing in yourself and doing everything right?  That question is for you to decide.  Decide to make the change within to get what you want.

I have talked about my dreams and goals, now think about yours.  What do you want to achieve in your life.  The sky is the limit.  I have always believed in that saying, "if you Believe, you can Achieve".  I would like to say I made that up, but I am sure someone thought of it long before I did.  It is so simple, but so true.

We have the power to make things better in our lives.  We have the power to decide what is best for us.  It takes determination, hard work and intense drive.  I am willing to work at it and set powerful and attainable goals, are you?  If so, here are a few questions to ask yourself along the way:

What is important to me?
What do I want right now for myself?
What can I do today that can direct me toward a future goal?
What am I doing in my everyday life that values these future goals that I have?
How can I move toward this goal?

So what was the question I asked you at the beginning?  Do you remember?  O that's right, my answer to that question for you is, instead of dreaming about it... DO IT!

What can you do for yourself to get unstuck in your life?

Isn't it amazing how easily we can get stuck, I mean really, truly stuck.  Whether it be in our personal life, our professional life, or just every day little things.  I have been stuck for the past few weeks.  Ever since I walked off of the plane from our vacation, I haven't felt creative, almost unmotivated, and just stuck.  I have decided to do something about it.

First thing I did was realize that I was, in fact, stuck.  I had to admit to myself that there was something holding me back.  (And thankfully, I have a great coach to help guide me through some of these rough areas that were and are blocking me...)  Being open to see what is not working can help shift you into a new perspective and see what may really be the underlying problem and in turn show you what will work.  The block or area you were stuck in may not be what you thought it was in the first place.

It took me a couple of weeks, a coaching session, a class in between and here I am.  Ready to write.  Feeling a little tiny bit stuck still, but realizing if I don't get anything down on paper (computer) then I am just avoiding what I thought was the problem, when in fact, that isn't it at all.  So I will tell you what the problem for me is and was, I jump into everything too fast.  I am like that Texas Hold 'em player that goes all in when really I have nothing in my hand, yet I'm trying to bluff the other players.  It usually doesn't work, and I lose all my money too quickly.   So, I have decided to dial a few things back, try taking insect steps (teeny tiny steps) with one thing at a time.

You can't expect to succeed by piling everything on at once and thinking the scale won't tip to one side.  I am famous for going all in and then losing it all and bowing out too early.  This is going to be different.  I want a successful blog, I want to be successful in coaching, I want to write a book one day, and I want to be on the Today Show, (preferably while Matt and Ann are still hosting - not too much to ask, right?) but all of those things won't happen over night, nor will they happen at all if I don't focus my efforts.

So, I am getting myself unstuck one foot at a time.  It isn't easy for someone like me to do insect steps though I tell everyone else to take them,  and because I want so bad to go all in with this hand, but I really don't think it is a good hand to go all in for just yet.  I know I have to wait until I get a full house to be confident enough to take a big risk and maybe give all of my hypothetical money away.

I am going to be the turtle, slow and steady, to win the race.

How have you gotten yourself unstuck?

(Write a comment, let me know what you may be stuck with... We could help each other move forward together!)

People watching...

Photo by Clip art



Have you ever been at the airport and just sat and watched people?  Of course you have, I know I am not the only one.

It's like watching "Reality TV" playing out in front of you.  Better than the Real Housewives, and even the Jersey Shore.  You get a variety of stories, a variety of personalities, but your own dialogue.

I love just sitting there, drinking my coffee, staring out at the crowd of people walking by.  As they walk briskly, slowly, purposefully, doubtfully by - I wonder, where are they going?  Who are they going to see?  Will it be a happy trip?  A vacation?  A hometown reunion?  Do they want to go?  Do they have to go?  etc.  People are so interesting.  They don't have to do anything but walk by me, and I am already immersed into their lives, for just that moment.  It is incredible what little time I need to spend watching someone, to have a whole story made up about their lives, regardless if I am right or wrong about them, it's my reality show.

One young woman walked by, she had a beautiful, colorful, and flow-y dress on.  Her shoes weren't meant to walk up and down airport hallways, they were more for a runway, or a catwalk.  Too high to be comfortable, yet commanded attention by all.  This young woman looked a little out of place from all the other weary, tired and comfortable clothed travelers.  But I was entranced by those shoes, it was like a train wreck that I couldn't turn away from.  She was alone, I wondered where her and those shoes were off to.  I bet she was meeting someone wonderful at the other end of her travels, someone she hadn't seen in a while that she wanted to dress up for.  Looking down at myself I realized she must be single.  Low and behold her ring finger was absent of any sort of commitment.  I had a whole story made up about her in 5 seconds flat!

When I turned my head I saw a family of  5.  The littlest one holding his mother's hand and dragging his tiny suitcase behind him.  I heard Jon say, "Look!  It's Lightening McQueen!"  The little boy had a Lightening McQueen pull along backpack.  Jon has Thomas the Tank Engine, I think I may need to upgrade Jon's carry on bag.  The family looked tired, the father looked like he was ready for the trip to be over while the 2 other children dragged their belongings along from behind and kept swatting at each other.  It made me think back to when I was little and my family used to travel.  I still don't know how my parents traveled with the 5 of us kids and kept it together.  But that in itself is a whole other story.

You can learn a lot about yourself, by watching other people.   I know I have.  Just by sitting quietly in my own world, watching others I have learned how tolerant, understanding, helpful, anxious I can be.  How can watching other people teach me all of that, you ask?  Well, I am tolerant to people that are not like me, and it has made me truly realize how wonderfully unique and individual we all are.  I am understanding to those who need space, room, and time to breathe (while traveling).  I am helpful when I notice someone has a question, but everyone else walks by them.  I am anxious about my own traveling fears, yet keep them to myself, so as not to worry anyone else.

People watching while traveling is great... People watching in general is just something I love to do, like I said, it is my Reality TV and it's free!

Mother...

Photo by clip art




So, I don't usually write what I am about to write, but since it is Mother's Day night I feel it most fitting to write a little note to the mother that has loved me, raised me, supported me, and helped me to be the person I am today.  This is for you Mom!

From the first day you took me in your arms and held me, I was yours.  Though I was not made from your body or biological make up, and I didn't have your eyes or your bright and loving smile.  I was yours.  I was bonded to you from the moment you laid eyes on me.  Nothing could break that feeling of knowing, I was yours.

You gave me the name, Alyssa, since the original Irish name of Kathleen just didn't quite fit with the little baby girl from Korea.  I was brought into a family of all boys, three older brothers and a younger brother.  What a wonderful family to be part of.  Even though you have told me that you and Dad believed that you were the lucky ones to have received me.   I know now and will forever believe, I am truly the lucky one.

Many people would ask me, don't you want to know who your real mother is?  Don't you ever wonder what she looks like or if you resemble her, or if you have any siblings?  My answer to those questions are I know who my REAL mother is, I know what she looks like and I know I resemble her in my own special way and yes, I do have siblings.

There had been a time in my life where I doubted myself and doubted my worth, but you, mom were always there to love and support me.  You helped me realize I do have many gifts to give and to believe in myself that I can make anything I want happen.  Even now when I have doubts and insecurities, you are there as a guiding light.

I couldn't have lived this life if it weren't for you (and Dad).  You have never made me feel like I wasn't yours.  There has never been a time in my life where I felt I didn't belong to you.  You have loved me unconditionally and in a way that every mother loves their child.  I have never doubted that love you gave me.

Mom, there are many things I want for you.  I want you to always know you are loved, supported and adored.  I want you to know that even though I may not say it all the time, you mean the absolute world to me.  You, have set great examples for me and I hope I am half the mother to my children that you are to me.

Thank you for all that you have done for me.  Thank you for all that you do.  Thank you for just being the wonderful, beautiful and selfless woman you are.  You truly are the wind beneath my wings.

Today, like everyday, I celebrate you and the love I have for you.

"A mother holds her children's hands for a while, but their hearts forever..."

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful, loving and selfless mothers - today and everyday!

Defining moment

What defines you?

Think about that for a moment...  What defines you?  Your family?  Friends?  Clothes?  Hair?  Ethnicity?  The way you talk, or walk?  Do your children define you (if you have them)?  Your husband/wife/significant other?

So many different ways to think about yourself and what truly defines who you are as a person.  I have thought about this question in recent years.  What defines me are many different things.  I can't pinpoint just one thing.  If the Merriam-Webster Dictionary had to define me, it would probably take up a Volume.  Volume A.  And I couldn't possibly just be a noun, I am a verb too, and while I'm at it, an adjective...  Aren't we all though?  Aren't we all persons, places and things, describing words, etc.  We are so completely complex and different, yet so similar and simple (in a way).  I digress...

Okay, so back to what defines me...  I was going to say my children - like some parents say.  But that is not true for me.  My children do not define me, not at all, they just enhance who I am as a person.  They make me better than I am.  They have taught me so much, but they aren't what has defined me.

From looking at me on the outside, you may say, those features define her.  O no, they don't define me.  Those features just give you the illusion of who I may be.  But my eyes, my lips, my cheeks, the way I wear my hair, those things don't define me, they just give you a false sense of who you may think I am.

If you heard my heavy footsteps coming up a flight of stairs you would say, O, those loud footsteps define her... Loud, purposeful and heavy.  But I would have to disagree, those don't define me.  Those heavy footsteps are from a woman who has places to go and people to see, a purpose and life, but with no destination, just walking happily.

So, there is no simple answer to this.  Think about it.  What defines you?  You, like me won't be able to come up with one single answer, but many different definitions of who you are.  It is a process of what defines us.  The wonderful thing about definitions is that like everything else in this world they may evolve.  Though a definition itself may not change (usually), the way it is used may evolve.  Such as, evolve came from a Latin word, evolvere, first known use was in 1775.  And look at it now.

We are endless definitions.  We are who we believe we are.  We are who others believe we are.  We are timeless, ever changing, ever evolving.

NOTE:  I apologize for any misspells or I had to do it quickly at 4am...   Have a Great week!!!  I'm off line for a few days... Enjoy the silence! ;)

Customer Service....

"Can I help you."  The young lady says in a rude and a bit of an annoyed voice.  I smile at her, trying to be nice, "Yes. Hi, I would like a large cheese pizza with peppers, onions, and sausage, a large french fry and a...."  She cuts me off.  "Hold on, I am trying to find the key for onions...  Okay, yeah, what else?"   Should I really be shocked or surprised that she cut me off so rudely?  "I would like sausage on the pizza too."  "Yeah, I got that, what else?"  "Uhmmm..."  I stammer a little.  "I would like a large fry and a large garden salad."  She looks at me,  " That it?"  I look back at her, smile again, "Yes, that is it."  


My question again is, should I really be shocked or surprised?

The answer is NO, I should not be shocked or surprised by how rude, miserable, and unhelpful she was.  Actually, these days, that's the norm.  To really expect nice and friendly customer service is so few and far between, that when I do actually get good service it's like a big breath of fresh air.

I understand most people these days aren't getting paid very good money, I think minimum wage is $8.00 per hour.  My first official paying job was when I was 15, I worked at Frugal Fannies, a women's clothing store, I think minimum wage at the time was $3.75 per hour - no joke!   Even though minimum wage was $3.75 per hour, I believe I got paid $5.00 an hour at the time.  I worked weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, while going to school during the week.  I was a hard worker and worked for every penny I received.  And I also recall my customer service skills were impeccable, if I do say so myself.  I took pride in the way I dealt with customers.

These days young kids and even some adults don't seem to care about customer service or how a person is treated.  I am in a position where I serve customers, I also do many calls to other offices, and I find, a lot of the offices I do call need a customer service training course.  I have always believed in the saying, 'Kill'em with Kindness' and to this day, that is what I do:  I smile, even when I may not want to, I say hello, and acknowledge the person when they walk through the door, I am cordial, sweet, and I am helpful even when someone may be rude to me.  I do those things because that is my job to be nice and because I work in a customer service based position.

I would love to go into some companies and just do seminars on customer service.  Because these days a lot of the workers need a reminder of what their job functions are.  I have stopped going to many places due to rude service.  People should take pride in what they do, regardless of where they work or how much they get paid.  It is your job, whether you like it or not and if you don't like it, find another job.  These are the choices in life that YOU have to make.  No matter what we don't live in a movie where some rich man will actually ever fall in love with a hooker, unless you are, in fact, Julia Roberts.  And no, sorry, only Charlize Theron gets spotted by a talent agent while pulling a tantrum on a bank teller.  So unless you have incredible luck, or you are one of these two ladies, you WILL have to make choices for your future and what you want for yourself.

Make the most of your job, whether it be customer based or not. Enjoy what you do, do what you enjoy...  And if nothing else, if someone is rude to you just Kill em' ....... with kindness!!!  ;)