Face it, there’s a reason you’re not living the dream — There’s a difference between a dream and a goal. We blow out the candles on a birthday cake and send a desperate wish into the universe. We cross our fingers and close our eyes, hoping for the best. And when our deepest desires don’t come true, we shrug our shoulders and wait for the next opportunity to toss out…

Your excuses are getting in the way of your dreams — “We have to live life with a sense of urgency so not a minute is wasted.” — Les Brown I’m getting older, and still trying to figure out how to write my story. In fact, I’m starting to believe my future plan is pure fiction. Why such a dreary outlook? I think it’s the result of conditioning. Throughout our lives, we’ve imagined the marvelous…

We’re splitting apart at the seams — Last week I broke one of my favorite vases. I’ve had it for a long time. In fact, the piece was a gift from a close friend. The vase had been hand-made from natural materials, sculpted by a skilled artisan and incorporating a fluted edge design and vibrant color scheme that always caught my eye. Displayed on a bookshelf…

What will you be thinking about when you approach the end? — Many years ago, I worked for a large corporation. The company manufactured electrical control parts, and my job was to support the salespeople and engineers by reading blueprints, creating a list of components, and pricing out the jobs. The salespeople called on customers, negotiated volume pricing, and managed distributors’ inventory. Our team had several large clients who were loyal…

Get a grip on yourself, before the moment slips away — On some days, it feels like dueling banjos are giving a personal concert in my brain. Seems those two opposing forces of “pay attention now” and “think about tomorrow” have a knack for striking up a tune at any given time. And while efforts are made to align the incongruency in some sort of melodic harmony, it’s rare the recital syncs up and plays in the…

Maybe it’s time to pitch them in the trash — It was time to clean the refrigerator. I’d put it off far too long and, try as I might, I hadn’t been able to locate an outsource service to take over this unpleasant job. I put the excuses aside and decided to block out thirty minutes of precious time I’d never get back. Reluctantly, I approached the fridge and opened the door. I paused, wondering if I should go…

Procrastinating won’t solve your problems — Do you find yourself doing all the easy things first, hoping the hard stuff will go away? When faced with an overwhelming list of to-do items, there are several options to consider when managing your time and efforts. For example, some folks prefer doing all the easy things first, hoping this strategy will provide them with a sense of accomplishment — and the motivation to tackle the…

Seeing the world more clearly may surprise you — Whenever I read, hear, or see something new or different, I ask myself three questions. Is this how I think? Is this how I want to think? Can I let it in and see what happens? That last question took some time to incorporate into the equation. By nature, we’re all a bit suspicious, with a tendency to dismiss ideas and concepts that stretch or…

Who’s really at the helm? — Seems like most everyone has advice to offer, or a sad story to tell, or a problem to spout off about. And it can be challenging not to get caught up in the drama and issues others are so desperate for us to engage in — and believe. In the past, I was the same way. Like a…