CHANGE (No Dimes or Nickels)

"CHANGE: No dimes or nickels"

One thing about life is certain...there will ALWAYS be CHANGE! (And, by the way, that will NEVER CHANGE!)

Here's the thing to think about: How will you let CHANGE impact YOUR life?

Will you allow the change that comes your way to control your life OR will YOU control the impact of the change?

This is something to keep in mind whether the change is good or bad! Some change is good and some not so good but we STILL must not allow that change to take over our lives.

Sometimes when change happens it takes over completely and changes a persons outlook on life and even their attitude towards life. Again, this can be with either "good" or 'bad" changes that come our way.

For example, if something horrible happens in a person's life they can allow that change to completely consume their life in a way that the cease to continue to LIVE life. Belive me, this is one of those "easier said than done" scenarios for sure! But, you've seen it, have you not?

I'm not overlooking or taking lightly tragedy that strikes in the lives of people. I cannot imagine the horror and grief that many go through in tragic times and I know that such events will have an impact on a persons life for most of- if not all of - the rest of their life.

However, I have seen those that go through a time of shock and grief and, even though that tragedy has left it's mark on their life forever, they have learned not to allow that tragedy to OWN their life.

Make sense?

Even when something "good" happens in our life that brings change we must still learn to not let that change "own" our life. Change our life? Sure. Impact our life? Of course. But we still must not allow that change - even if "good" - to OWN our life.

An example on this side may be someone that wins the lottery or comes into a lot of money for any reason. I'm sure you've seen the television shows or read the articles that tell of so many that end up worse off than they were BEFORE this "good change" came their way. They never learned to take control of that change before it took control of them.

Change. It will continue to be a part of our lives as long as we are alive.

What will YOU do with that change. Better yet, what ARE you doing?

For our next podcast/blog topic I want to continue this thought process and will begin to discuss the following ideas about change:

TYPES OF CHANGES: Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves...those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)...those that come at us DUE TO our actions and those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

So, as you can see we will have a lot to talk about in the next few weeks!

By the way, let me just mention that I am not able to be as "consistent" with my podcasts and blogs as I had been at one time due to a new job that my wife and I are involved with BUT I WILL continue to get these out as often as possible and I still cherish and welcome any and all feedback from you!

So, until that next time, I'd like to leave you with these two quotes I came across the other day and encourage you to think about the truth found within them both.

“The only change to be afraid of is the change that we are not prepared for.”

"If you want the future to be different, change what you are doing today! "

And, as always, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

The Path Taken Today

The Path Taken Today

The path taken today determines...

How would YOU complete that statement?

Would you, like many, end it by stating that the path taken today will determine your future?

If you were to state such, would you be talking about your "long-term" future or just your "immediate" future?

This is going to be short and to the point so stay focused and pay attention to what I'm actually saying here, o.k.?

I'll give a nod to the fact that the path taken today may determine your immediate future but there is no way in the world that I'd even give a hint of a nod to the idea that it determines your long-term future.

How discouraging and depressing it would be (and IS for many that fall into this "often promoted yet WRONG" thought process) to think that once you've made a mistake your future is doomed because of that mistake.

Should we be careful in our choices? Sure.

But, here's the deal according to the way I see it and according to the way I've been forced to live it at times... Your FUTURE is less determined by a path that you take than it is by how QUICKLY you are able to determine if you are on a WRONG path!

Think about that for a moment.

Simple analogy - if you take a wrong turn on a trip are you DESTINED to stay on that route and continue down a wrong direction? Uh, NO.

So, for one, you can turn around and correct this wrong decision by going back to where you made a wrong turn and correcting that mistake by then taking the RIGHT path. Right?

Here's another analogy that you may relate to... have you ever taken a wrong turn and had your GPS constantly remind you to turn around? But have you also had your GPS refigure directions based on the direction you are going (even if it IS wrong based on the original mapping) and allow you to get "back on the right path"? I have on several occasions.

So, secondly, once you realize you are on the wrong path you still have the ability to make a few adjustments and get back on track to reach your original destination even if it IS not the same path you meant or intended to take in the beginning. (By the way, this could also be called a "detour").

In closing, if you've made some wrong and even bad decisions or have gone down the wrong path then WAKE UP and do something about it. There is NO reason to keep heading down the wrong path ESPECIALLY once you realize you're going the wrong way.

THAT, my friends, would be idiotic.

Wouldn't it?

Stay on track, friend and, as you go along this journey always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

What Is It To Be 'Content'?

"What is it to be 'Content'?"

I briefly discussed the "spiritual struggle" that some may have with the idea of desiring something better in and for their lives. Many times they will go to the verse in the Bible where the apostle, Paul states that he is CONTENT in whatever state (situation/condition) he finds himself in at the time (Philippians 4:11).

I'm not going to get into a deep, religious discussion on this but I DO want you to understand that the concept of desiring something better is NOT contradictory to this finding in the Bible!

What you find if you examine the context (the thoughts that surround this one verse and statement) is that Paul had realized that, regardless of the situation - whether good or bad - it's o.k.! When things are going particularly well, don't get carried away and think it will always be that way and, even when things are anything BUT good, the same is also true...don't get carried away and think it will always be this way.

IT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY!

Again, there is a real spiritual message being shared here that I won't go into in this blog. However, if any of you would like more thoughts on this, just drop me an e-mail at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

But, here's the deal, friend, for ALL of us to understand. It is in our very nature to desire something better for ourselves and for our loved ones.

And - HERE'S THE KICKER - if you find yourself in a "down cycle" and things just aren't going well for you - DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY and think that you are destined to a life of misery.

BE CONTENT. Huh?

Understand that this is not the end of the world. Understand that you CAN better your life if you so desire. Understand that you don't have to "give up" and accept your current situation as something that sucks the very life OUT of your life!

But, hey, while you are here, take a look around. THIS is a big part of contentment!

Are there loved ones around you? Are there people that love you? Are there friends that care about you? Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have clothes on your back? Do you have food to eat? Do you have smiles shared with you? Are you able to read this? Are you able to listen to the sounds around you?

I could go on and on, couldn't I? But I hope you get the point.

It's EASY for us to loose our focus on what we DO have and put all of that focus on what we DON'T have!

Being content is the act of realizing that, even though things may not be the way I want them to be at the moment, I have much to be thankful for and I NEED to GIVE THANKS for those positive things in my life.

Remember my main "saying"?

"As long as there is breath, there is hope!"

How true that is for all of us and how often we all need to be reminded.

I know I do!

You see, things are not how I want them to be in my life right now. They haven't been for quite some time and, if you've followed me on this "journey" then you already know what I'm referring to when I say this.

But, I HAVE NOT given up and I WILL NOT give up!

But, (and it IS hard for me to do this, o.k.) I DO need to be "content" and notice the powerful and positive things around me each and every day.

Do I plan to stay in this current situation? NO!

But I can't miss the joy and the blessing that is here, even now, in this current "down cycle".

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Being content does NOT mean that you have to settle for less or for where you are. But it DOES mean that you are thankful for who/what you have WHILE you are here.

So, yeah, I can say and YOU can say, "Whatever the situation, I've learned to be content."

And, as you soak in that thought always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Reaching Out for Something Better

"Reaching Out for Something Better"

In the last entry I discussed how I - along with likely everyone that is reading this blog - seem to have this "something" in me/us that causes me/us to feel that there is something 'better" out there for us and that WE MUST GO AFTER IT if - IF - we really DO desire to do so.

No one else can do it for us, remember?

Is this a BAD thing? The reason I ask is because I am sure that some of you might even feel guilty for wanting something "better". Why is that a bad thing?

Some will even try to make it a spiritual matter and talk about the Bible teaching that we shouldn't want something "better" than what we have and that we should be content. Well, I DO know what the Bible says about that and, my friend, you are taking things out of context if you feel that we should not strive to better ourselves. "Nuff said about that for now.

Listen to me for a moment on this - by bettering ourselves and our situations we can position ourselves to help even MORE people than we are able to do right now. Make sense? Think about it.

Think about this as well - do you not want things to be better for your kids? Do you not EXPECT them to better themselves in many areas?

OF COURSE YOU DO! And "we" do as a society as well!

If you come across an individual that is 35 years old and is still wearing diapers and sucking on a baby bottle (for NO reasons that has to do with any kind of mental impairment or physical impairment) - WOULD YOU NOT BE APPALLED AT THIS?

Yes, you would! But, could this not happen if - first of all - this person's parents never expected them to move beyond that stage in their development when it was time? And, would you not also agree that the individual themself would desire to move on from that activity once they realize that those around them have done so?

I mean, seriously, do you not think that when this individual started kindergarten they MIGHT notice that no one else is going to class wearing diapers and sucking on a baby bottle? Even if they were a bit stubborn, do you think they MIGHT begin to want to "fit in" a little better by the time they reached 5th grade or so?

OF COURSE THEY WOULD!

Now, I know that was a simplistic example but, again (I've said this many times before) the profound can be FOUND in the simple!

Too many of us have given up. Would you agree?

My guess is that even YOU have "given up" from time to time on this whole process of "bettering yourself".

Another way to word that is "personal development". Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, NOW I get it!

Believe me, there are many other ways to "better yourself" beyond just the personal development and there is still that "something" in me/us that propels us forward to try to identify that "something" and go after it.

But, bottom line - if we don't even have the desire to better ourselves by improving our mindset then, by my way of thinking, we are destined to stay right where we are.

Diapers, baby bottles and all.

Give some thought to that and see if you don't agree. Friend, you wouldn't be reading this at all if you didn't have the desire to find something positive to help with your mindset.

And I thank you for taking the time to read THIS particular article.

And, yes, I will be continuing my discussion on this in the days and weeks to come.

As always, I also welcome your comments and thoughts but I DO prefer that you post them on my Facebook fan page:

www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity

I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Until next time, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

The Search for Something BETTER

Something Better?

"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind.
Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat." - Napoleon Hill

My guess is that YOU have asked this question to yourself many times in the past, haven't you? And, my guess would also be that if you HAVE asked yourself this question in the past that you are STILL asking yourself this question even now - TODAY.

Am I right?

There just seems to be "something" in us that always wants to strive for something better. There just seems to be "something" in us that BELIEVES that there IS something out there better than what we have or what we are doing right now.

Now, first of all, there are two extremes with this and any other proposed thought such as this. On one end of the spectrum we have those who have either LOST that desire or, for whatever reason, it was never instilled in them in the first place. Many times if the latter is true it is due to parents that never encouraged this person as a child to strive for something better and to not EVER settle for less than your best.

We see this type of situation around us every day and it is frustrating to see people that have NO DESIRE to better themselves even though - many times - they are living sub-par lives and often doing so off of the government.

The other extreme to this scenario would be those that are NEVER satisfied and are ALWAYS wanting more. That is as much of a danger as the one that has NO desire at all. We see this around us every day as well - regardless of what they have or what their situation, it is never good enough and they think that there is something better out there. Oftentimes, their relationships also exhibit this behavior and they are constantly moving on to other (better?) spouses or partners or whatever - RELATIONSHIPS - thinking there's something better out there.

But where do YOU fit in to all of this?

Hopefully somewhere in-between.

If you are like me, you KNOW deep down what you are capable of doing and being and you KNOW that there is something MORE that you could/should be doing with your life. How many of you out there can relate?

Over the next few weeks I'm going to try to write a new article on this with continuing thoughts. I'm not sure how often or consistent it will be but I will try to do so at least once a week.

I'll explain more in the next submission WHY I am going through this though process in a MAJOR way right now but, until then, I welcome any and all comments.

I PREFER that you leave those comments on the Future You University fan page on Facebook by going here:

https://www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity

I'd love to hear YOUR ideas and of YOUR strivings for something better and WHY you have that burning desire in your life. Will you do that for me? I'd appreciate it as would any and all others that read what you write.

Hey, I DO know this -- there IS something better out there and it's up to ME to go get it.

Until next time...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)

Mike