Think Strong - Stay Focused

Think Strong - Stay Focused

"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth... not going all the way, and not starting." 
Buddha

  "Begin today. Declare out loud to the universe that you are willing to let go of struggle and eager to learn through joy."

Sarah Ban Breathnach

 "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

Helen Keller

 - My Take -

With Spring hitting this week (on the calendar at least) I woke up finding myself a little anxious, a bit of cabin fever I suppose. I need to get out and do something, “different” I was thinking.  Then I began to go through my normal morning ritual.  A routine I've developed for myself that gets me going in the morning, clears my mind, and prepares me for the day ahead.  I had to laugh at myself. Here I am itching to do something “different” and the first thing I do is the same thing that I do very day. Part of my routine is to stop and find a piece of nature to take in for a few moments. It helps me relax and put my day into perspective. This day, the first day of spring, I was standing on a bulkhead in Brigantine Beach NJ gazing out into the Atlantic Ocean, a new day, a new season, change is all around me I was thinking. Yet there are parts of this change that are very much the same, and have to be.

 I have a friend that just a few years ago was sitting on her bed crying and with a twisted gut wondering how she was going to rebuild her life and take care of her young children still living  at home one being her 10 year old son.

 I don't need to get into the graphic details of why my friend was in this position but suffice to say her comfortable lifestyle, a world that included a nice home and a secure future had crumbled and now seemingly over night and now all on her own was thrust into a world of poverty, fear, embarrassment and hopelessness. Her situation and story to this point is not all that unique. After the economic crumble that we all experienced many lives have been uprooted and some completely destroyed.

 Her story is about hope and recovery., What is remarkable about this story, is her courage and willingness to expose her vulnerability and reach out for help. And then her strength and willingness to reinvent herself and take the steps necessary to create lasting and positive change in her life.

 Define - The "start" my friend was able to define and come to grips with her situation by reaching out to family and trusted counsel. By having the courage to reach out and by putting it all out on the table with all its pain, embarrassment, and gory details, my friend was able to get a clear picture of her situation.

 Create -   With the help she had employed, my friend was able to begin to put the pieces of a meaningful recovery together. How would she earn enough money to first survive, and then ultimately thrive? Where would she live and what would that look like? Who should be included in her new life and what would her new daily routine involve? All of this a seemingly hopeless task on your own. 

 Live -  Sticking to the plan and being diligent in its execution is what takes strength. This is where my friend is so amazing. I have to say I am in awe and so impressed with her ability to stay focused and remain on track. If you ask her how she does it, and if you knew her you would.  She will say "I have no choice, I can't go back to that mess. This is my life now. I'm happy with how things are progressing. I'm living a lifestyle that is sustainable and makes

me feel hopeful and happy"..

My friend is showing that what Buddha said is so true. She made the tough choices necessary to "start" a new life and is now diligently taking little baby steps every day in its execution to the finish "by going all the way".

 Stay Focused – Start today, then take it to the finish by making the change part of your lifestyle. Define – Create – Live.  Imagine if the sun decided to take the day off or if the seasons decided not to change. Diligence is part of being focused.