Your Choice of Teleclass Dates:
Mondays October 13, 20, 27 at 8PM EDT/ 7PM CDT/ 5PM PDT OR
Tuesdays October 14, 21, 28 at 2PM EDT/ 1PM CDT/ 11AM PDT
Duration- 55 minutes
Putting off what you can do today until tomorrow is a top self sabotaging behavior. The good news is there are steps you can take to avoid regret, get new results, and gain the most value from your day. There is no better time to get more clients, get organized, get in shape, or complete that project. You know how great it feels to complete something worthwhile. Come to the intensive and get serious about breaking through to efficiency and feel good at the end of every day.
~ Build a track record of completions
~ Get to the source of your procrastination
~ Choose your strategy
~ Get your head in the game
~ Learn to take actions that make a difference
~ Learn time management and organizational tricks
~ Get tips, tips, and more tips for efficiency
This is a class to step out to learn, taking new actions, get new results while having accountability and support. Choose to make October the best month yet!
First week FREE to anyone. Get all 3 weeks for only $40!
Don’t wait… reserve your spot now at
www.StartingNowCoaching.com/_wsn/page3.html
Monday, October 06, 2008
Beat Procrastination- End Today Saying Woo Hoo!
5 Tips to Get More Value from your Day
Procrastination is a top self sabotaging behavior. Yet most procrastinators take action, just not in the area they procrastinate in. To help change your life, get new results, and gain the most value from your day implement the five practical tips below, and end the day with no regrets.
1- Get Your Head in the Game- The mind, an astonishing asset, can be the greatest obstacle. Become acutely aware of your perceptions, thought patterns, and self-talk, and whether they are supporting or stopping you. Here is what you might find and how to shift:
• Fear- Stay present. Get the focus off you and onto who you are helping or what you want. Prepare. Believe in yourself. Take action to gain confidence and experience. Let go of expectations. Forge through fear just to do it! Feel good about that! Choose to not let fear hold you back any longer.
• Overwhelm- What part can you delegate? Break it down. Get details out of your head and into a system. Begin with one small step you are sure you can do. Commit only 15 minutes. Start with one small area. Begin! Set it up to succeed one small step at a time.
• Unsure of what to do- Call someone experienced. Research on and off line. Don't hold back. People enjoy helping others. Get the help you need.
• You don't like doing it or it is someone else's goal- Delegate, commit 15 minutes to begin, or do it first in the morning. Get it behind you! Focus on how great you will feel when it is done.
Set yourself up to succeed. That entails getting your head in the game to move you into action. Put an end to beating yourself up. Be encouraging. Allow your brain to be your own best success coach!
2- Know Your Primary Actions- What are the three most important actions you can take today to create a high quality life, business, career, etc? What completion will make you say 'Woo Hoo" at the end of the day? Get clear on what will make a difference. It is about taking action towards what you want. As you do you gain knowledge, expertise, connections, and find passion. Keep primary actions fore front knowing at the end of the day you want to feel good! Aim for no regrets!
3- Focus on Completing One Task at a Time in a Set Time Limit- Avoid multi-tasking. Efficiency rises with 100% focus on the goal. Imagine a gymnast, surgeon, pilot, or crossing guard multitasking. Maintain focus on what you want to accomplish in a set time. EX: Allow 15 minutes to check your e-mail so you don't waste an hour. It takes practice learning how long tasks/ projects take but you will see improvement immediately when you aim.
4- Be in Action- Action leads to knowledge, experience, and success. Practice pays off. Learning to swim takes getting in the water. Learning to speak to a group takes standing up in front of them. Many end up feeling worse when they avoid making a new contact. Discomfort is a sign that you are ready for a new adventure. It's a good thing! Get excited! Make the call. Do it! The more you do the more you gain expertise, meet intriguing people, have more exciting experiences, and see doors open for you.
5- Extreme Self Care- Pay attention to your body. Nourish it. Give yourself permission to take breaks to rejuvenate. Rest when needed and get a good night's sleep. Notice the difference between self care and procrastination. You will accomplish more by rejuvenating than trying to push through when exhausted.
Take Action Now to Feel Great Tonight:
~ Knock out a Toleration- Set a timer for 15 minutes and clean out one area that has been irritating you.
~ Decide the 3 most important actions you can take today, then follow through.
~ What focus will motivate you into action when procrastination sets in? Say it and feel it.
EX: 'I want to say Woo Hoo at the end of the day.' 'I want new results.' 'I want a high quality life."
~ Complete something right now that you have been putting off. You will feel great to get it behind you!
~ Get a support structure in place to connect with: a friend, small group, a coach, a class, etc.
Continue in action! We all are capable of so much more. You are an amazing person who is fully capable of ending each day saying "Woo Hoo! I did it! I knew I could!" So just begin… starting now!
Learn about the upcoming Zap Procrastination complimentary class and intensive at www.StartingNowCoaching.com/_wsn/page3.html
Beth Tabak of www.StartingNowCoaching.com/ is 100% committed to small business coaching and personal life coaching. She is a speaker, writer, and coaches big thinkers to be unlimited, stand out in the crowd, and experience the vastness of their abilities. Stop by to pick up a complimentary Get Things Done Task List, receive StartingNow free, say 'hello', and see all that is available to you.
Procrastination is a top self sabotaging behavior. Yet most procrastinators take action, just not in the area they procrastinate in. To help change your life, get new results, and gain the most value from your day implement the five practical tips below, and end the day with no regrets.
1- Get Your Head in the Game- The mind, an astonishing asset, can be the greatest obstacle. Become acutely aware of your perceptions, thought patterns, and self-talk, and whether they are supporting or stopping you. Here is what you might find and how to shift:
• Fear- Stay present. Get the focus off you and onto who you are helping or what you want. Prepare. Believe in yourself. Take action to gain confidence and experience. Let go of expectations. Forge through fear just to do it! Feel good about that! Choose to not let fear hold you back any longer.
• Overwhelm- What part can you delegate? Break it down. Get details out of your head and into a system. Begin with one small step you are sure you can do. Commit only 15 minutes. Start with one small area. Begin! Set it up to succeed one small step at a time.
• Unsure of what to do- Call someone experienced. Research on and off line. Don't hold back. People enjoy helping others. Get the help you need.
• You don't like doing it or it is someone else's goal- Delegate, commit 15 minutes to begin, or do it first in the morning. Get it behind you! Focus on how great you will feel when it is done.
Set yourself up to succeed. That entails getting your head in the game to move you into action. Put an end to beating yourself up. Be encouraging. Allow your brain to be your own best success coach!
2- Know Your Primary Actions- What are the three most important actions you can take today to create a high quality life, business, career, etc? What completion will make you say 'Woo Hoo" at the end of the day? Get clear on what will make a difference. It is about taking action towards what you want. As you do you gain knowledge, expertise, connections, and find passion. Keep primary actions fore front knowing at the end of the day you want to feel good! Aim for no regrets!
3- Focus on Completing One Task at a Time in a Set Time Limit- Avoid multi-tasking. Efficiency rises with 100% focus on the goal. Imagine a gymnast, surgeon, pilot, or crossing guard multitasking. Maintain focus on what you want to accomplish in a set time. EX: Allow 15 minutes to check your e-mail so you don't waste an hour. It takes practice learning how long tasks/ projects take but you will see improvement immediately when you aim.
4- Be in Action- Action leads to knowledge, experience, and success. Practice pays off. Learning to swim takes getting in the water. Learning to speak to a group takes standing up in front of them. Many end up feeling worse when they avoid making a new contact. Discomfort is a sign that you are ready for a new adventure. It's a good thing! Get excited! Make the call. Do it! The more you do the more you gain expertise, meet intriguing people, have more exciting experiences, and see doors open for you.
5- Extreme Self Care- Pay attention to your body. Nourish it. Give yourself permission to take breaks to rejuvenate. Rest when needed and get a good night's sleep. Notice the difference between self care and procrastination. You will accomplish more by rejuvenating than trying to push through when exhausted.
Take Action Now to Feel Great Tonight:
~ Knock out a Toleration- Set a timer for 15 minutes and clean out one area that has been irritating you.
~ Decide the 3 most important actions you can take today, then follow through.
~ What focus will motivate you into action when procrastination sets in? Say it and feel it.
EX: 'I want to say Woo Hoo at the end of the day.' 'I want new results.' 'I want a high quality life."
~ Complete something right now that you have been putting off. You will feel great to get it behind you!
~ Get a support structure in place to connect with: a friend, small group, a coach, a class, etc.
Continue in action! We all are capable of so much more. You are an amazing person who is fully capable of ending each day saying "Woo Hoo! I did it! I knew I could!" So just begin… starting now!
Learn about the upcoming Zap Procrastination complimentary class and intensive at www.StartingNowCoaching.com/_wsn/page3.html
Beth Tabak of www.StartingNowCoaching.com/ is 100% committed to small business coaching and personal life coaching. She is a speaker, writer, and coaches big thinkers to be unlimited, stand out in the crowd, and experience the vastness of their abilities. Stop by to pick up a complimentary Get Things Done Task List, receive StartingNow free, say 'hello', and see all that is available to you.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Another 911 Experience- This Time Hurricane Ike
Writing this post for those inquiring about our experience. We are an hour from Galveston, in Sugar Land, southwest of Houston. A warm thank you to those who called, sent notes by mail/e-mails of concern. I was shocked when the first call the morning after the storm was not from family but a client. Overwhelmed by your love!
This year my birthday on 9-11 was spent in hurricane preparation. Lots to do! We were well prepared. Friday evening winds picked up. It took a long time before the rains came. Most Houstonians were ready... wanting it to 'come on' and 'get out'! The anticipation was annoying.
Things got worse as the winds got stronger and the night got darker. We were teased as the tv/lights went on and off. We knew at some point power would end. Just before midnight it happened. Due to possible tornadoes we moved into my prepared walk-in closet (thankfully decluttered). Petie, our parakeet, sat above in his cage on a shelf. Gemma, our 4 month old Golden Retriever puppy, in her kennel outside the door. My 11 year old daughter and 14 year old son had their sleeping bags spread out as they made a party out of it. And finally, Pumpkin, our beautiful white cat with big light blue eyes sleeked in and out all night keeping me company as the rest drifted to sleep.
This was one long night by light of a small lantern, hearing the winds howl, and the rain pour down. My comfort was Frank Billingsley, our caring meteorologist (the best of the best), taking calls from Houstonians so he could tell them what is going on in their area since no one had power to see the radar screen on tv. Our wonderful Houston Mayor, Bill White, provided regular updates. All night I listened to stories we could all relate to of individual people in the 4th largest city in the country. We were like one small community. I was hearing about our fun get-aways like Kemah and Galveston being wiped out, fires raging, areas where our friends live destroyed. Comfort came from our great leaders calming the fears of listeners and reassuring the community of 5 million people now in the dark that we would make it through. The worst part of the night came when I lost that radio station.
Then the hours slowed down to minute by minute. The strong winds pounded making me wonder how long things such as the roof, windows, trees, fence, could endure. I thought if only we had sunlight things would be better. The best strategy was to stay in a place of faith and trust. I was confident we would be fine. I was confident the sun would come up. And it did.
Shockingly, we were in the 4% to have power around 8:30am. We lost shingles off the roof, and a very small section of our fence came down. In our neighborhood we were shocked at the fingerprint of Hurricane Ike. Huge trees yanked out of the ground by the roots with the grass around it still attached.... all over the place. All of the Houston area (2.25 million households) without power, streetlights down, and massive destruction. Most kids were out of school for 6 days and just started back this week. Some don't have schools to go to anymore.
As I said earlier, we were prepared so when the long lines for hours at the gas station and empty shelves at the grocery store came we were enjoying the beautiful weather after the storm and were able to get out and volunteer as a family. So able to help others because we were prepared.
Great stories, tragic stories, funny stories emerged. Here are a few of the funnies (or not so funny) :
Yesterday they did a bit on the radio 104.1 ' Stupid things you did preparing for the Storm'; these are great examples of why you should 'think things through':
~ One guy waited too long to pick up a generator locally so he drove to San Antonio (a 2 1/2 hour drive one way) to get 3 generators in case his power went out. When he got back to Houston the gas stations were out of gas so he had 3 generators and no gas to run them.
~ Another guy decided to fill his bathtubs with water for flushing toilets, his dogs, etc. in case the water was compromised during the storm. He got some phone calls and an hour later his house was flooded before the storm even arrived (forgot to turn off the running water).
~ A neighborhood was delighted to have their electricity on two hours after the storm. Then a neighbor decided to cut down a tree. It fell on the wires and knocked the neighborhood out of elecricity... 10 days later they still have no electricity. I think he is lucky if he is only banned from the neighborhood barBQs!
So it's important to plan but also to stay present and think things through. Think as if you are already in the situation so you know what you would want/ need. Then once prepared, trust you can handle anything.... and that you have the support.
I am very proud of Houstonians. Not only did they open their doors to Katrina victims during their tragedy... but they have proven to be a city of people in action helping others even as victims themselves. Thanks to the great leadership in encouraging neighbors to help neighbors!
Thanks to all of you for caring!
~ Beth
This year my birthday on 9-11 was spent in hurricane preparation. Lots to do! We were well prepared. Friday evening winds picked up. It took a long time before the rains came. Most Houstonians were ready... wanting it to 'come on' and 'get out'! The anticipation was annoying.
Things got worse as the winds got stronger and the night got darker. We were teased as the tv/lights went on and off. We knew at some point power would end. Just before midnight it happened. Due to possible tornadoes we moved into my prepared walk-in closet (thankfully decluttered). Petie, our parakeet, sat above in his cage on a shelf. Gemma, our 4 month old Golden Retriever puppy, in her kennel outside the door. My 11 year old daughter and 14 year old son had their sleeping bags spread out as they made a party out of it. And finally, Pumpkin, our beautiful white cat with big light blue eyes sleeked in and out all night keeping me company as the rest drifted to sleep.
This was one long night by light of a small lantern, hearing the winds howl, and the rain pour down. My comfort was Frank Billingsley, our caring meteorologist (the best of the best), taking calls from Houstonians so he could tell them what is going on in their area since no one had power to see the radar screen on tv. Our wonderful Houston Mayor, Bill White, provided regular updates. All night I listened to stories we could all relate to of individual people in the 4th largest city in the country. We were like one small community. I was hearing about our fun get-aways like Kemah and Galveston being wiped out, fires raging, areas where our friends live destroyed. Comfort came from our great leaders calming the fears of listeners and reassuring the community of 5 million people now in the dark that we would make it through. The worst part of the night came when I lost that radio station.
Then the hours slowed down to minute by minute. The strong winds pounded making me wonder how long things such as the roof, windows, trees, fence, could endure. I thought if only we had sunlight things would be better. The best strategy was to stay in a place of faith and trust. I was confident we would be fine. I was confident the sun would come up. And it did.
Shockingly, we were in the 4% to have power around 8:30am. We lost shingles off the roof, and a very small section of our fence came down. In our neighborhood we were shocked at the fingerprint of Hurricane Ike. Huge trees yanked out of the ground by the roots with the grass around it still attached.... all over the place. All of the Houston area (2.25 million households) without power, streetlights down, and massive destruction. Most kids were out of school for 6 days and just started back this week. Some don't have schools to go to anymore.
As I said earlier, we were prepared so when the long lines for hours at the gas station and empty shelves at the grocery store came we were enjoying the beautiful weather after the storm and were able to get out and volunteer as a family. So able to help others because we were prepared.
Great stories, tragic stories, funny stories emerged. Here are a few of the funnies (or not so funny) :
Yesterday they did a bit on the radio 104.1 ' Stupid things you did preparing for the Storm'; these are great examples of why you should 'think things through':
~ One guy waited too long to pick up a generator locally so he drove to San Antonio (a 2 1/2 hour drive one way) to get 3 generators in case his power went out. When he got back to Houston the gas stations were out of gas so he had 3 generators and no gas to run them.
~ Another guy decided to fill his bathtubs with water for flushing toilets, his dogs, etc. in case the water was compromised during the storm. He got some phone calls and an hour later his house was flooded before the storm even arrived (forgot to turn off the running water).
~ A neighborhood was delighted to have their electricity on two hours after the storm. Then a neighbor decided to cut down a tree. It fell on the wires and knocked the neighborhood out of elecricity... 10 days later they still have no electricity. I think he is lucky if he is only banned from the neighborhood barBQs!
So it's important to plan but also to stay present and think things through. Think as if you are already in the situation so you know what you would want/ need. Then once prepared, trust you can handle anything.... and that you have the support.
I am very proud of Houstonians. Not only did they open their doors to Katrina victims during their tragedy... but they have proven to be a city of people in action helping others even as victims themselves. Thanks to the great leadership in encouraging neighbors to help neighbors!
Thanks to all of you for caring!
~ Beth
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Interview with Shirley Cheng- Forging Forward No Matter What
Recently I connected with the amazing, award winning author and motivational speaker, 25 year old Shirley Cheng. She epitomizes one who is being unlimited through tremendous struggles. Be uplifted as you gain wisdom from her unique experiences and passion for life. Then apply to your own life as you continue to be unlimited. Included is a brief and amazing background on Shirley and the compelling full interview. At the end, please comment on how you will put this information into action to be unlimited in your own life.
Shirley was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis as a baby. She spent years in constant pain, wheel chair bound, and in-and-out of hospitals. She grew up in a single-parent Chinese family with no formal education. At 11 she attended an elementary special education class. Shirley knew little English and had little knowledge, but mastered her grade level in all areas within 180 days. This moved her to a regular 6th grade class. Her craving for books led her to read about 600 pages a day (about 3 books). She excelled and was recognized for achievements often as a student, writer, and in artwork. In 10th grade her eyesight deteriorated. She went blind and could only listen in class. Yet she found the means to maintain excellent grades. Due to severe arthritis she was unable to use Braille but maintained a 3.9 GPA while writing and balancing long chemistry formulas and equations without vision or Braille. At age 20 she authored 3 books in a year typing 60 words/ minute with 2 index fingers. She has authored 7 books, and contributed to 10. Shirley aspires to attend Harvard. I have no doubt she will get there. I had the chance to ask Shirley a few questions:
THE INTERVIEW
Beth: What went through your mind as you encountered each hurdle?
Shirley: Whenever I run into a challenge or obstacle, I always think to myself that this is not the end of my life. I still have a long road ahead of me that I need to travel. It is completely up to me to make a difference in my life, and I want to make the best of what I have, make the most of my situation, so I have chosen to move forward with a smile. I am so honored and delighted to be living, that God has chosen me to have a life, so I want to show Him how much I am grateful to be alive. Why have a little negativity stop me? Yes, you may think agonizing physical pain and blindness is not little, but compared to the entire wondrous universe--all the beautiful things it contains--it is tiny.
Beth: What drove you to excel in school?
Shirley: I absolutely love to learn since I am so madly in love with life--I want to learn as much as I possibly can about something I love--so that passion is the fuel that allows me to achieve what I have achieved in and out of school. How could I not want to know more about the place I call home (Earth)?
Beth: As you lost your eye site you learned through only listening which takes a tremendous ability to focus. What helped you be able to focus so fully?
Shirley: I believe God gave me the ability to focus well. Ever since I was a baby, I have been a very alert individual who cherishes the "small" things in life--nothing in life is ever too small. God also gave me artistic talents, so I am able to picture things well in my head, so that was how I was able to do math and chemistry in my head without Braille and how I was able to solely depend on listening to my teachers as they taught. But I must admit, it was hard in math and chemistry, because when you have never seen a specific formula and you only hear the teacher talk about it, it does get confusing! But I managed! But unfortunately, I never finished math that year when I lost my eyesight. The tutor the school sent me (I stopped going to school then) did not know how to describe the equations/formulas to me--I don't blame her!
Beth: Did you ever ask 'why me'?
Shirley: Of course, but never in a negative way. I believe that every person has a purpose in life, and everything happens for a reason. God works under mysterious plans, and I am often curious about His plans for me.
Beth: What explains your strong drive to achieve followed with action?
Shirley: My strong drive to achieve has to do with my passion for life, for doing my best to live my best. I believe that to love and accept life is to love and accept God; I love life because I love God, and I am so grateful to Him for my life. Why ruin His gift of life by not achieving and doing my best? When you buy an expensive set of furniture (or anything you love), would you not take good care of it? Would you not love your children with all your heart, soul, and might?
Beth: Shirley, do you have any wisdom for my readers?
Shirley:
~Overcoming negativity is not necessarily about making a physical difference. Many times, we cannot physically change the situation we are in. I lost my eyesight, and I can't make myself see again (sure, I can have an eye surgery, but I, alone, cannot make myself see). Conquering negativity is about making a psychological difference for your spirit. By being happy when I am blind, I am successfully conquering negativity.
~Let us face it, everyone has limitations. But the thing is that we can live in a way that do not let our limitations have the most effects on our lives. We need to live in a way that is most beneficial, with the least hindrance, and that is by limiting your limitations.For example, if you are good in math but not good as a cook, focus on your talent in math, instead of focusing on your inability to cook well. So focus on your strong points, not on your weak points. Concentrate on what you are able to do, not what you are unable to do. If you lose your left hand, you will not try to use your left hand to do everything. You will instead use your right hand and train it how to do the things your left hand could do. I am blind; that is a fact. That is a limitation I have, and I will not deny it. But what I do is to limit my limitation by focusing my attention on what things I am still able to do and enjoy doing without my eyesight. When you are good at something, then do it and do your very best with it.
~ Be your own true best friend and you will become a true best friend of the world.
~ If you do not let obstacles disable you, they will not disable you. Only you have the power to disable yourself or enable yourself. I have chosen to be ultra-abled. Yes, I'm not disabled--I'm ultra-abled!
~ Find the positive side to a negative situation. I know it can be quite difficult to always be able to find the good side of something bad; you will have to look at your situation from every angle. While at times, the good thing does not come out of the bad until some time has passed. After I lost my eyesight, I became an author and motivational speaker; that was the good that came from the bad. This way, I am able to touch others in ways I could not have if I had not lost my eyesight; at least, it would not have been so soon or exactly in this way. Another example is that I have periods of severe insomnia, and it is during my insomnia that many of my great writing ideas come to me, so that is the positive side of insomnia. In life, there are always something good and something bad happening at the same time, and there is always a positive side to the negative, and even a negative side to the positive. And there are times where the bad actually becomes the good and vice versa. So in actuality, it can be too hard at times for us to judge what is truly good or bad. What we can do is always try to look on the bright side and do our best to live our best, and put all faith in God--that is the secret that gets me going; everything else is just strategy!
Beth: Any final words, Shirley?
Shirley: Remember, God has given you the most precious gift--your life--so live it and love it with all your humanly might! Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope haul you high!
And thank you, Beth, for giving me this opportunity to share a bit of inspiration with your newsletter subscribers. After all, I've made it one of my life's missions to touch as many people as I possibly can to bring humor, hope, and healing; and I am grateful to you for helping me achieve this goal!
Remember to comment on how you will put this information into action today... as we continue to be unlimited in work and play!
Shirley was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis as a baby. She spent years in constant pain, wheel chair bound, and in-and-out of hospitals. She grew up in a single-parent Chinese family with no formal education. At 11 she attended an elementary special education class. Shirley knew little English and had little knowledge, but mastered her grade level in all areas within 180 days. This moved her to a regular 6th grade class. Her craving for books led her to read about 600 pages a day (about 3 books). She excelled and was recognized for achievements often as a student, writer, and in artwork. In 10th grade her eyesight deteriorated. She went blind and could only listen in class. Yet she found the means to maintain excellent grades. Due to severe arthritis she was unable to use Braille but maintained a 3.9 GPA while writing and balancing long chemistry formulas and equations without vision or Braille. At age 20 she authored 3 books in a year typing 60 words/ minute with 2 index fingers. She has authored 7 books, and contributed to 10. Shirley aspires to attend Harvard. I have no doubt she will get there. I had the chance to ask Shirley a few questions:
THE INTERVIEW
Beth: What went through your mind as you encountered each hurdle?
Shirley: Whenever I run into a challenge or obstacle, I always think to myself that this is not the end of my life. I still have a long road ahead of me that I need to travel. It is completely up to me to make a difference in my life, and I want to make the best of what I have, make the most of my situation, so I have chosen to move forward with a smile. I am so honored and delighted to be living, that God has chosen me to have a life, so I want to show Him how much I am grateful to be alive. Why have a little negativity stop me? Yes, you may think agonizing physical pain and blindness is not little, but compared to the entire wondrous universe--all the beautiful things it contains--it is tiny.
Beth: What drove you to excel in school?
Shirley: I absolutely love to learn since I am so madly in love with life--I want to learn as much as I possibly can about something I love--so that passion is the fuel that allows me to achieve what I have achieved in and out of school. How could I not want to know more about the place I call home (Earth)?
Beth: As you lost your eye site you learned through only listening which takes a tremendous ability to focus. What helped you be able to focus so fully?
Shirley: I believe God gave me the ability to focus well. Ever since I was a baby, I have been a very alert individual who cherishes the "small" things in life--nothing in life is ever too small. God also gave me artistic talents, so I am able to picture things well in my head, so that was how I was able to do math and chemistry in my head without Braille and how I was able to solely depend on listening to my teachers as they taught. But I must admit, it was hard in math and chemistry, because when you have never seen a specific formula and you only hear the teacher talk about it, it does get confusing! But I managed! But unfortunately, I never finished math that year when I lost my eyesight. The tutor the school sent me (I stopped going to school then) did not know how to describe the equations/formulas to me--I don't blame her!
Beth: Did you ever ask 'why me'?
Shirley: Of course, but never in a negative way. I believe that every person has a purpose in life, and everything happens for a reason. God works under mysterious plans, and I am often curious about His plans for me.
Beth: What explains your strong drive to achieve followed with action?
Shirley: My strong drive to achieve has to do with my passion for life, for doing my best to live my best. I believe that to love and accept life is to love and accept God; I love life because I love God, and I am so grateful to Him for my life. Why ruin His gift of life by not achieving and doing my best? When you buy an expensive set of furniture (or anything you love), would you not take good care of it? Would you not love your children with all your heart, soul, and might?
Beth: Shirley, do you have any wisdom for my readers?
Shirley:
~Overcoming negativity is not necessarily about making a physical difference. Many times, we cannot physically change the situation we are in. I lost my eyesight, and I can't make myself see again (sure, I can have an eye surgery, but I, alone, cannot make myself see). Conquering negativity is about making a psychological difference for your spirit. By being happy when I am blind, I am successfully conquering negativity.
~Let us face it, everyone has limitations. But the thing is that we can live in a way that do not let our limitations have the most effects on our lives. We need to live in a way that is most beneficial, with the least hindrance, and that is by limiting your limitations.For example, if you are good in math but not good as a cook, focus on your talent in math, instead of focusing on your inability to cook well. So focus on your strong points, not on your weak points. Concentrate on what you are able to do, not what you are unable to do. If you lose your left hand, you will not try to use your left hand to do everything. You will instead use your right hand and train it how to do the things your left hand could do. I am blind; that is a fact. That is a limitation I have, and I will not deny it. But what I do is to limit my limitation by focusing my attention on what things I am still able to do and enjoy doing without my eyesight. When you are good at something, then do it and do your very best with it.
~ Be your own true best friend and you will become a true best friend of the world.
~ If you do not let obstacles disable you, they will not disable you. Only you have the power to disable yourself or enable yourself. I have chosen to be ultra-abled. Yes, I'm not disabled--I'm ultra-abled!
~ Find the positive side to a negative situation. I know it can be quite difficult to always be able to find the good side of something bad; you will have to look at your situation from every angle. While at times, the good thing does not come out of the bad until some time has passed. After I lost my eyesight, I became an author and motivational speaker; that was the good that came from the bad. This way, I am able to touch others in ways I could not have if I had not lost my eyesight; at least, it would not have been so soon or exactly in this way. Another example is that I have periods of severe insomnia, and it is during my insomnia that many of my great writing ideas come to me, so that is the positive side of insomnia. In life, there are always something good and something bad happening at the same time, and there is always a positive side to the negative, and even a negative side to the positive. And there are times where the bad actually becomes the good and vice versa. So in actuality, it can be too hard at times for us to judge what is truly good or bad. What we can do is always try to look on the bright side and do our best to live our best, and put all faith in God--that is the secret that gets me going; everything else is just strategy!
Beth: Any final words, Shirley?
Shirley: Remember, God has given you the most precious gift--your life--so live it and love it with all your humanly might! Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope haul you high!
And thank you, Beth, for giving me this opportunity to share a bit of inspiration with your newsletter subscribers. After all, I've made it one of my life's missions to touch as many people as I possibly can to bring humor, hope, and healing; and I am grateful to you for helping me achieve this goal!
Remember to comment on how you will put this information into action today... as we continue to be unlimited in work and play!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)