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I’m just happy to be alive.

That’s all I got tonight. I just want to live my life and pursue my dreams. I want to be of service to a community that welcomes me. I want to write books. Outside of my home life, that’s all I have left in me. Well, for now at least.

What do you have in you?

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without” — Buddha 

There was a time when I thought the good life filled with peace was for other people. People who were better at life than me. I’ve come to realize quite a few things about peace since then.

First comparison isn’t the whole picture. If someone presents peace but steals yours, then no they haven’t found peace.

Peacefulness should draw peacefulness. If you can sit in peace you’re welcomed there.

Second peace is yours to claim. It’s a gift of humanity. You get choose how much peace you welcome in your life. Don’t want peace, don’t welcome it. Want it, then learn to sit with it.

And to conclude, you are and always have been worthy of peace. But in this world, it means you must train yourself to find peace. Once you find peace, you get to show those around you how they can best respect your peace. Both can be challenging.

Peace is always worth the effort.

What’s your favorite peaceful place?

“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ―Buddha

I love to start out the day reminded that today is a new day. Thank goodness I get a new day to try again, to be softer or louder, or maybe nothing more or less at all.

Life tends to keep us feeling overbooked. It makes us feel like we’re behind on everything. What’s most important, though, is that you are up to date with yourself.

• Don’t get behind on what your body is asking for.
• Don’t ignore what your soul is begging you for!
• And definitely keep that mind in check.

Most of us were taught the Golden Rule: treat others as you would treat yourself, but a lot of us really need to start treating ourselves as we would treat others. We put all these other things above our own needs.

Are you feeling born again this morning?

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of self-discovery and personal transformation” – Brené Brown 

Being vulnerable is not easy, especially when you’re in a leadership role. Especially when you’ve been silenced for years. And especially when you were raised to chin up and be brave. These moments of vulnerability defy all that. It can feel wrong and almost shameful. My instinct is to run, hide, and end the uncomfortableness as fast as possible. But this quote reminds me that this is my chance to discover more about myself and how I can use my fears to propel me forward.

What do you think about vulnerability?

“There’s a kind of Ah-ha! Somebody at least for a moment feels about something or sees something the way that I do. It doesn’t happen all the time. It’s these brief flashes or flames, but I get that sometimes. I feel unalone—intellectually, emotionally, spiritually. I feel human and unalone and that I’m in a deep, significant conversation with another consciousness in fiction and poetry in a way that I don’t with other art.” ― David Foster Wallace

Today’s quote is a long one. I just really like what he had to say about “ah-ha” moments. They are one of my favorite things. I’m sure most people enjoy them. It’s like the clouds clear in your mind and a million connections are made. It’s interesting, though, because I never thought of it as feeling unalone, but I can totally vibe with that. I feel like we all have those moments when we feel like we’re the only ones just not getting it. That can feel lonely, especially if no one has the patience to explain what you’re missing. But then we have those moments when we get it. It’s not always about being part of the crowd. Sometimes it draws you away from the crowd and toward the wise men and women of the past. Or even into your own space. No matter where it draws you, it’s from darkness into light.

“You can do anything, but not everything” — David Allen

Find your place or places in this world. The hint here is that no one is going to stop you from doing everything. You have to stay in your lane and allow space for other people’s callings. It doesn’t matter what it is. Fighting for justice, advocating for the voiceless, finding your career, even running your home. Let people help where you lack. Let people show you ways to make it easier for yourself. I was a single mom for a short portion of my life, and I understand that feeling of having to handle it all and that feeling of impossibility. Do what you have to do to take care of you, and when someone you trust offers help, take it.

Point being, don’t let people make you feel small for finding a way to live that works for you. We all do this life thing differently. Don’t let people push you into being louder, more aggressive, or more manipulative to fight battles. Don’t let people force you into roles that you know don’t fit you.

You know you. If you don’t know you, learn you. Once you know where your lane is, thrive there. If it needs to expand, that. is. your. choice.

Know Yourself.

“To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles” — T.F. Hodge.

I think this is a good quote. I especially agree when your outcome is in alignment and it’s big enough to keep you going. However, I say that as a goal-oriented person. I like a clear goal. Sometimes I make too many and have to let a couple go, but generally I’m one to reach the finish line. Not everyone is driven that way.

How are you driven?

What do you think about this quote? Do you think being focused on the outcome helps conquer frustration?