Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes

I came across this article about a woman who lost 180 pounds, but was still unhappy. As someone who has been working, and more often than not struggling, to get healthy I found this article helpful.

Whether you want to lose weight, start a business, buy a new home, graduate from college, etc. you can not base your happiness on the end  result.  What happens if you buy that new home, or get that degree, or new business and you are still not happy?

Happiness, according to this article, must come from within even while you are on the journey.
I have been guilty of thinking I will be happier once this or that happens.

I've learned, however, that I really do need to enjoy the journey. There will always be something to overcome. The change in my happiness level needs to come from within, rather than without.

What thing or event are you basing your happiness on? Check out this article and find out why being happy in the present is so important.

It's Never too Late

I love stories like these the most. A 79-year-old Mississippi woman is learning to read.
Rosie Corn has been fighting to learn how to read for most of her life. She's suffered a lot of interruptions from health issues, as well as having a family and working.

She never gave up. Now she is at a second grade reading level and is still working to get better.

Check out Rosie's inspiring story.

Choosing Your Legacy

Last Saturday I had the honor of attending a women's conference where a friend gave a presentation on what life is like for women in Ghana. It was very interesting to see what the daily life of a woman is like in another country. I was in awe of the women who owned their own businesses, and of the volunteerism I witnessed.

In addition to this presentation, there was also a moment when the women seated at my table talked about what choices they would have made differently in their lives. They also spoke about ways to help other women grow.

 Some of the women in the group said that in their day they didn't have the choices that women today have. One woman said that she lived through the women's liberation movement.
If she could have had more choices available to her she would have wanted be more and do more.

This conference inspired me and it made me think about the idea of choice. The fact that I can choose what school to go to, what career to have, and what volunteer activities to participate in is an honor.

While reflecting on my time with the women, I thought about the many ways I have neglected this honor of choice.

In the same weekend two people I know passed away. I heard about all of the great work they have done in their lives, including the many people they have helped. This encouraged me to choose to be the person I really want to be.

How many times have I wanted to do something, but then decided against it because of fear or silly excuses?

 I've decided to make choices every day that honor my freedom to choose what my legacy will be.

What will your legacy be? What choices are you making today that will make that possible?

Plan to Win

We are all busy. We all have commitments coming at us from every angle. If you are trying to accomplish a goal, however, you have to make time to work on it.

This is where planning ahead comes in. Some people are good at planning. They write everything down in a planner, or have electronic planners that beep or buzz reminders all day long.

Other people aren't so good at planning. They just wing it, and often end up disappointed when they do not accomplish anything.

I came across this article on Spark People, about planning ahead. While "Plan Today, Succeed Tomorrow" is speaking specifically about getting healthier, I think it's a good article for planning in general.

Check out the article for tips to help you plan ahead and win!