Coffee Thoughts \ Ask For What You Want

“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” Oprah Winfrey

It’s not enough to want, wish or desire, you’ve got to put your request out into the world and ask for what you want. What you are really doing is demanding that others make room for your wishes, and the more you are convinced that they have value, the more space your desires will have in the world.

Coffee Thoughts \ A Plan

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Dreams and goals that live in our imagination are wonderful, but to bring the invisible into reality one needs a goal and a plan. It doesn’t matter if you keep the plan or change it, but you need one to begin the process of creation.

DANGEROUS TIMES OR TRANSFORMATION

It’s a dangerous time, not because of the economy, or because the world is supposed to end in 2012, it’s dangerous because your comfort zone is crumbling, leaving you feeling vulnerable and exposed. Yes, the safety of your illusions that have protected your fear: denial, rationalization, and sacrifice are being revealed as the imposters that they are. The ugly face you see is the face of truth. It appears ugly at first because you’ve judged it as such, and why not, how dare it make you aware of your imperfections, weaknesses, and fears! To cope with life as a child, you ignored truth and choose the warm embrace of fantasy, but it’s a dangerous choice as an adult, because without a strong dose of reality your story won’t have a happy ending. Illusions don’t die easily, they put up a fight and with that fight comes anger. You’re angry that life was not perfect, that it didn’t protect you, love you or provide you with your dreams. Don’t stay stuck in your anger, move through it, give it a voice, and then realize that within you is everything you need to create the life you always wanted. It’s not going to be handed to you—that’s suppose to be part of the fun. You’ve got to find the right path, put in the effort, and not be afraid of the false people and rejections you will meet along the way – they don’t define you – you do. The key is to do what you love, then you’ll enjoy the whole journey and not save your satisfaction for just the prize at the end -- life is the prize.

What needs to happen to change danger into transformation is a little bit of magic – you’ve got to accept and let go all at the same time. If you can accept the letting go happens on its own. Accept your worst experience and most dreaded emotions, they are the source of your greatest strength. When you have suffered and learned, you become wise. Besides, the shadow is what you stand on when you reach for the light. Muhammad Ali learned how to use his shadow. "Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even." So listen to Ali and own all that you are, no more judgments or discrimination; let the past go and move into the now, the only place where life is really happening.

Coffee Thoughts \ Critically Incorrect

"How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct." -- Benjamin Disraeli

It is so easy to jump on the bandwagon and criticize something that is not going well. However, it is a lot more challenging to give support where it is needed, or provide a better idea to get the job done.

Coffee Thoughts \ Rules

If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere -- Marilyn Monroe

Rules, which ones to break and which ones to obey? I always say go to the consequences of your actions, if you can accept the worst thing that could happen, if this is truly important to your spirit, then do it. No risk is just as bad as too much. Find your balance.

Coffee Thoughts \ Action

"I have a bias toward action - let's see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away."--Indira Gandhi

Big dreams are fabulous but to make them happen you’ve got to be able to break them down into steps, into the next step in particular. Study up on your dream; know what’s needed to get to where you want to be, then set smaller goals that you can achieve now. When you keep your dreams conscious and put daily effort into what you want, dreams do come true.

Coffee Thoughts \ Ambition

“Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast, that however high we reach we are never satisfied.” -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Allowing oneself to feel satisfied, even when the job is not done, is an important part of the journey. If you can’t take a breath and feel good about what you’ve done so far, chances are success won’t make you happy either. So enjoy every step along the way, and then when you get to the top, you’ll have already reaped your reward – the prize is no longer essential to your happiness.