Everyone can teach you something

"Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely. Chinese proverb

Possible mentors and teachers can be found everywhere and anywhere. Everyone you've met today has something they could teach you--a skill, a bit of wisdom, or a personal secret to success. All you have to do is look for it and ask plenty of questions. Most of all, respect the fact that each person has something of value to offer. If you can't find one "feather" to pluck from someone, you're not looking hard enough. Yet, in the end, you still have to think for yourself. It's still your job to take the knowledge you gain and turn it into your own value system for solid decision-making. It's still up to you to use your skills to carve a unique path in the world. So when night comes, those feathers can make a nice soft pillow that lets you rest your head in peace." sparkpeople.com-healthy reflections

Everyone from our inner circle to those in our external surroundings (home, school, job, community, or world) can offer us something to learn from. Write down the names of some of your closets friends or colleagues. Quickly jot a few key items about them that make them great. What do they add to your life? Which of these items would you like to embody more often? Persistence, grace, balance, organization, honesty, clear communication, and action are a few that come to my mind. Often we dismiss the value of what someone may be able to add to our lives through superficial scrutiny. A colleague at work may be quiet and seems to sit back waiting for instructions instead of asking what they can do and you've judged them as not adding to the positive work environment. Do they come to work on time daily? Do they do whatever is asked of them reliably? Maybe they need a role model or someone to gently guide them along on what is expected of them. Do they always speak positively about others and not gossip? Is there something you can pluck out here? Take the time to get to know them better. Is it possible they are just shy until they really get to know others? Maybe they are unsure of where they fit in and don't want to "over-step" their bounds. So look hard, be curious about what makes them tick and you may just learn something new.

Keeping it in Perspective

"The present is what slips by us while we're pondering the past and worrying about the future. - Ziggy

Is there anything that Ziggy doesn't know? In the cartooning universe, he's often placed in hopeless situations, pitted against a world that doesn't make sense. He's an agreeable punch line for the quirks of human nature. Yet he's able to brush off his mishaps and focus on the opportunities that today brings. He can also look to the future with hope, knowing full well that more struggles may lie ahead. Most of all, he can look at himself and have a good chuckle. Do you make yourself anxious about things that might happen or stew over mistakes you've made? Don't let a preoccupation with tomorrow or yesterday rob your ability to face that crazy world with a smile. For Ziggy, today is today. It's not a good day; it's not a bad day. It's a day. And he knows that it's important to give that day the value it deserves." www.sparkpeople.com, healthy reflections.

Wow! Have you ever made a mountain out of a piece of news before it even happened? You decided that any number of things could happen when XYZ comes to pass. So, in effect, you have invited it TO happen. I certainly have stirred the pot, so to speak, before. What if this news turns out to be the best thing for you; your career or your personal life? Imagine the possibilities that might open up or come about because of it: new found success, confidence, friends, colleagues, and growth as a spiritual being having a human experience. Just sit in that for a moment...Feeling the love yet? Even if you aren't, remember that even speaking about the possible negative consequences open the Universe up to granting those ideas power in your life.

Next time you hear something and have an immediate knee jerk reaction to it consider this: immediately be thankful that this might happen, journal about the positive possibilities, make a vision board of what you DO want to happen, and speak only in positive terms about it. There's an old saying that goes "You'll catch more flies with honey"--catch the highest and best life has to offer you right now. Know that it's being offered to you in ways you may never have imagined and keep it all in perspective.