HOW WILL YOU MEET YOUR GOLIATH?

Goliath was a legendary Philistine warrior defeated by young David according to the Bible.The story of Goliath represents a picture of life often minimized; that our perspecitve changes everything.

According to the story, David who would later become King of Israel was the only one who was not fearful of what had his comrades "shaking in their boots." Goliath was said to be over nine feet tall and terrified the Israelite army. When David's father sent him to the army to see how the fight was going, David was the only one willing to fight Goliath. The story says, Goliath fell when David hit him in the head with a stone and then killed him with his own sword and finally beheaded him.

David believed God would help him defeat Goliath and this perspective drove him to be fearless.

No matter how well things might go in your life, you WILL meet your Goliath at some point. It might be in a relationship, in your career, in your health or in any other aspect of your life. How you deal with your Goliath will make all the difference in what happens.

Some people take every obstacle and pessimistically see the end of their dreams or plans. They see their Goliath as being too big to fight and too powerful to overcome. They are defeated before they begin the fight because they have already lost the battle in their mind.

Others see their Goliath as being an obvious obstacle and plan how to arm themselves to either take him down or get around him. They believe in something bigger than themselves and work to remove the barriers others already have identified as too impossible to overcome.

Perspective is absolutely critical when you are trying to be successful at anything. 
Perspective makes all the difference in whether you give up or give in easily or hang on and take your chops but come out a winner in the end. 
Perspective is not just how you look at something but is also how you really interpret what you see.   

Your perspective about anything can change every outcome.

How do you react to your Goliath? 

Do you see your Goliath as being:
SO BIG you can't possibly defeat him or 
SO BIG you can't possibly miss hitting him?

In the end, your perspective about Goliath will determine whether you or "He' wins.

What's Your Goliath and How Are You Preparing To Deal With Him?

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• Malcolm Gladwell On The Idea for His New Book: David & Goliath

NEED SOME CHANGE?

Today's blog post is from a guest, Sheila Henry a psychotherapist who not only advocates for happiness but demonstrates how to start getting to your happy core by learning to change. She also is a lover of dogs and recognizes how animals can be therapeutic in our happiness quest.

How to Happily Embrace Change

Embrace Change in Your Life
Change is a very good thing! Routines and status quo in your life can leave you feeling stuck, so changing your daily routine in a small way or setting out to accomplish something even bigger (like a new career) can give your life new meaning with new challenges to overcome. Change stimulates the brain and can actually make you feel quite happy and good, as long as you are not the type to be shocked and surprised by changes in your life.

Why Do We Fear Change?
Most people have something (or many things) in their life that they would like to change, but, they feel powerless. They may even think that they just can’t do it so why even try. And others just feel tremendous fear about what a change will mean in their life.

Many experience difficulty making permanent life changes. For example, you may want to initiate a change in your life by adding a daily exercise routine. So, you excitedly join a gym, and go for a bit, then come up with excuses. We know we should do it, we wanted it to happen, but, we can’t stick to the change we are trying to make.

Getting Started with Change
If you are really serious about making a change in your life, ask yourself what do you need in your life to make it happen? Be honest with yourself and practical in your answer and really give it a lot of thought.

Once you have your list, set reasonable goals, short and longer term that are actually achievable. Instead of just buying the gym membership, agree what days and times you will go and schedule them on your calendar like an appointment. Have consequences for yourself if you do not accomplish the schedule you have set. If you have sabotaged yourself before, be ready for how to counteract this if it happens again. Have a plan and be prepared.

Measuring Success
As you strive to accomplish your goals, paint a clear visual picture in your mind about what success looks like to you. What does it feel like in your body to have achieved the goals? How will you act? What will others say to you and about you? Be as detailed as possible, and write it in a journal so you can reinforce the vision.

A Job Well Done
Be sure to celebrate all milestones along the way. You can decide what rewards are deserved at what level. A short term goal for working out at the gym a certain number of days per week may be that after 1 month you buy yourself new workout clothes. When you lose 10 pounds, take yourself to your favorite healthy restaurant! It’s up to you, but, be sure to write it down as part of your plan.

Finally, and most importantly, you must feel the change NOW! If you’ve wanted to lose weight so that you can buy a sexy dress, buy that dress now. Meditate (or use self-hypnosis) on having that desired body. Feel the new you in your body as you start carrying yourself with more pride and a feeling of success. Start living your life as if you’ve already reached your goal. This is the only way you will get there and you'll be happy you did.

WHAT'S THAT ONE CHANGE YOU REALLY NEED TO MAKE?

Sheila Henry is a marriage and family therapist  in San Diego. She has had a private practice for over 25 years. She helps clients identify goals, recognize obstacles that impede reaching their goals and activate a plan for success. See if Sheila can help you CREATE MORE HAPPINESS

I'M HAVING A BABY!

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  In a few weeks, I will be birthing another baby. Oh, this one won't actually require I make sure my health insurance is up to date, my doctor knows my medical history or even that I start saving for its college education. You see, in a few weeks, my new book will be published and although, I don't have to agonize about impending labor or whether I will choose to birth naturally or assisted with anesthesia, there is still the anxiety as to whether the "delivery" will go well, and the product be exactly as planned.

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Image by pinprick via Flickr

The birth of anything you create is much like having a baby. The idea forms and seems to take forever to get off the ground and become the product you really hope for. It is not without the unexpected feelings of overwhelming emotion, worry, anxiety, joy, panic, fear and satisfaction. You wonder what type of "parent" you will be. There is always some pain and sacrifice associated with the birth and it is most definitely not without stress, aches, and discomfort trying to move it in the direction it is meant to go. Some days you are impatient for it to just get here and other days you want more time to address every detail before its arrival.And just like a newborn, even once your idea is birthed, your business begun, your dream evolving, it will keep you up nights trying to decide how best to handle it. You will have moments of a love/hate relationship, wondering why God chose you and you will have moments of overwhelming pride in what you have created.

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Perhaps, you too are having an inspirational baby or at least contemplating becoming a parent of an idea you have wanted to create for some time. You may be pondering a new direction for your life, thinking about something you want to finally jump into with both feet. Maybe you are going to be growing your own business, your own foundation, your own little family of ideas and you realize soon you too will have a new "baby" to call your own.
I can tell you as a business owner, even ideas are living and breathing and a business much like a child beckons for your attention, your time and your resources to grow it up appropriately and just like a child, it will be nearly impossible to let it go when the time comes for more branching out.


What about you? What stage of having a baby are you in? Have you been planning to have a "baby" for a long time or just recently thought about it? Have you already had your "baby" and are now a devoted parent and planning for an addition? Or, perhaps you are wondering if parenthood is really for you. I can honestly say, it has been the most rewarding time of my life for all of my creative endeavors, those with a living heart and soul who bear my name and even the ones who take on a life of their own once I spawn the thought. Creating is amazing, inspiring, exhausting and fulfilling...need I say more?

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So, like so many before me, I am having another "baby". I am excited, delighted and yes, a bit worried about how it will all turn out. Oh, and yes, of course, since I already know the kind of baby I am having, I have already picked out a name, "FINDING YOUR FIRE" and I hope you will be there in a few weeks when it makes its appearance in the world.

Someone Has to Go First

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I am always baffled by the people who will wait overnight outside a store to get a new phone, toy, or electronic device, or people who try every means possible to be among the first to secure tickets to a sporting event or concert.Yet, some of those same individuals would never think of being the ring-leader when it comes to supporting a cause, delivering an opinion that goes against the mainstream or even changing the direction their life is going. It's as though being first when the crowd who follows you into an arena to cheer on your favorite team is a more noble act than being first when the move you make can change your life. Sure, it may be less popular to be the one who goes first in some situations but when it might change your life or at least the direction it is going, whenever it may lead to something you always dreamed of reaching, whenever it might be the impetus that finally gets you out of a rut, the decision should be a no-brainer.

If you are serious about really living your passion or even discovering your passion, you will most certainly have to make some moves without a large fan base. You will probably discover that any move to make changes will be met with some resistance from those who want to keep the status quo. Last year, a good friend of mine walked away from a situation she had complained about and  attempted to change for over a decade. Few people thought it was in her best interest despite the fact that she had lost her clarity, perspective and purpose for her life while she did everything in her power to try and make things better. In the end, she had to be the first to let go. It was difficult, painful and not without obstacles. She had some moments of second guessing herself, but today wholeheartedly states, "I only wish I would've done this years ago. I wasted so much time, thinking I had so few options."

Image by Fabio - Miami via Flickr

Maybe you have tried many ways to make something work or feel comfortable that just isn't doing it for you. Whether it is your career, your lifestyle, you leisure pursuits and sometimes even your relationships with others, if it isn't improving or you do not get satisfaction from it, it is time for a change. You know you need to go first and make the move that makes the difference. Maybe it means choosing a different work venue, changing the scenery in your life, perhaps even letting go of whomever you are spending your time with. 

Anything worth saving, is certainly worth the fight, but you really have to ask yourself sometimes if what you are fighting for is something you want to win. If it is...be the one who goes first to claim it as your own, but if not, have the guts to walk away first and stop pretending it matters.

Yes, life is all about picking your battles. Someone has to pick first, fight first, forgive first, leave first and change first. 

Image by aftab. via Flickr

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BE THE ONE WHO IS THE FIRST TO DO?


By the way, someone already went first in following this blog, so you won't have to be the first to make the tough decision, but I hope you will be the next and the next.

And I hope you share the kinds of things you hope to see discussed in "finding your fire."