What If When A Storm Comes In…

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200 words, believe, brave, change, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Fear, first steps, goodness, greater good, grief, growing up, illness, life, Life's like that, living in the moment, loss, peace, Purpose, Storm, strength, things we cannot change

I promise you,

these storms are

only trying to

wash you clean.

 – Jessica Katoff

Wow – this quote really lifted my spirit when I read it the other day! The idea that suffering does not have to be in vain is oddly comforting and hopeful. In the same way that the pains of childbirth lead to new life, the challenges we face in daily living are ultimately meant for our good.

What if it’s true?

What if those rough spots in life; like losing someone we love, illness, defeat and change are meant to wash us clean, meant to remove the layers of useless garbage that we haul around day after day?

What if when a storm comes in, we can choose to slow our breathing, to calm ourselves, to yes – acknowledge and feel the moment, but then soothe our frightened selves with the understanding that we can get through it by (for lack of better words) getting out of our head, RISING above our situation, SEEING the bigger picture, BELIEVING in our ability to get through it, no matter the outcome, and TAKING that first step into the storm KNOWING we will be washed clean?

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

The Last Chance

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200 words, change, choice, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Do the right thing, forgiveness, learning, lessons, life, Life's like that, living in the moment, mistakes, second chance, wrong

We never really learn from the first mistake or the second or third. It only hits us when we’re given the last chance. ~ unattributed

I’d like to think that I when I make a mistake, I recognize I’ve done so right away and at the very least, I do not repeat it ever again.

But is that what really happens? For me? You?

When the above quote appeared on my twitter feed, it stopped me in my tracks.

I can think of specific examples when I said or did something, and immediately I’d wished I hadn’t done it. I tell myself I will never do that again and before I know it, I find myself in a similar situation and I DO IT AGAIN!

What is wrong with me?!

It’s as if I’m programmed to do it. Usually it takes several instances before I can commit fully to I-will-never-do-that-again.

Then there are those times when I am not aware that what I am doing is a mistake, or not the best choice I can make until I’m given one last chance or it’s just too late. period.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Can you relate? What has your experience been?

10 Questions For When You’re Stuck

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200 words, actions, alone, answer, awakening, change, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, energy, Fear, growing up, health, hope, hopeless, life, Purpose, questions, sad, spiritual, stuck, success, transformation

Being stuck serves a spiritual purpose. It is fertile ground for transformation to occur. It tells you that a change is needed. ~ 7 Ways to get unstuck, HuffPost Healthy Living

No one has to tell you. You know when you’re stuck. You know how it affects you; you feel alone and sad and hopeless.

But being stuck isn’t the worst place to be. Think of it as a wakeup call. And getting the right answers often means asking the right questions.

Here are 10 questions I found on Leadership Freak that help me when I’m stuck

1. What do you want?
2. What does success look like?
3. What have you tried that didn’t work?
4. What should you stop doing?
5. What could you try?
6. Which options generate energy?
7. How would you describe the behavior?
8. When will you try it?
9. What will you not have done, if you fail?
10. How will you assess progress?

These questions function well as a screening exercise for me – professionally and personally. I particularly like question 6.

It immediately shines a light on any bullshit answers; in effect, saving me tons of time.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

How might these questions help you? How do you get unstuck?

Celebrate Joy and Grow Through Sorrow

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200 words, change, choice, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dreams, encourage, faith, Fear, gift, grateful, growing up, journey, joy, learning, life, living in the moment, love, meaningful, mistakes, Purpose, Relationships, sorrow

When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate, when life is bitter, say thank you and grow. ~ unknown

What an amazing journey we’re on!

Life is a gift.

Its ebbs and flows.

Its highs and lows.

The connections we make and break.

The joys and sorrows we experience.

Each one of our paths; unique

a combination of choice and circumstance.

Sometimes courageously following our dreams. Inspiring and encouraging others to follow theirs. Take hold of ‘moments of joy’ – treasure them in your heart. They will carry you through the hard times.

Other times we are paralyzed by fear. Making us empathetic and patient with others who are afraid. Embrace every part of who you are.

Rippling effects that change the course of our path, that teach us if we let them. Or haunt us until we are teachable.

Life is a gift.

A beautiful and precious gift.

Don’t squander it.

Don’t take it for granted.

Be grateful for every opportunity given.

Even our mistakes have meaning when viewing our lives in this way.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate, when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.

Leaders of Change

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200 words, change, children, community, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dreams, fame, family, followers, kings, leaders, mission, pawns, Purpose, recognition, together, tradition, values

At the end of the game, the Pawn and the King go in the same box. ~ Italian proverb

I saw this quote on another blog the other day. It was one of 15 points to encourage readers as they move into 2014.

It got me to thinking how we sometimes believe that only the leader (king)  makes a difference. It is (s)he who sets the agenda, calls all the shots and leaves their mark.

The rest are the followers (pawns),  the ones who fulfill the wishes of the King.

Do we associate leadership with recognition and fame?

Does ground-breaking change only happen through those in high power or does it also start with someone on the ground floor who knows the lay of the land?

Sometimes those who change the world do so in secret. No red carpet is rolled out for them. No News team is dispatched to cover their story. No one even speaks their name when they’re gone.

Their work takes a life-time; one person at a time. Their values, dreams and traditions are passed onto their children.

And in the end the King and Pawn go in the same box.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Pendulum

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celebrate, change, Diana Schwenk, happy, ideas, joy, laughter, living in the moment, passion, Purpose, Seth Godin

A generation ago, a clever idea could run and run. We talked about Space Food Sticks and Tang and Gilligan’s Island and the Batmobile for years, even though there certainly wasn’t a lot of depth. Hit movies and books stayed on the bestseller lists for months or even years! ~ Seth Godin

Would you agree that we don’t really take time to celebrate anymore?

By the time a plan comes to fruition

we’re three steps ahead and have forgotten to rejoice in our achievements

or the joyful things that have surprised us along the way.

It saddens me.

A new idea or new way of thinking comes around

and the pendulum swings hard right and we either jump aboard or get left behind.

For example, we know that change can be good.

But has change become an ideal we practice just for the sake of change?

What happened to “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it“?

Ignoring the now…

forgetting to acknowledge the joy of the moment

is robbing us of the sheer happiness of important milestones in our personal and professional lives.

I don’t want the ‘next new thing’ to diminish the significance of the ‘right now.’

Do you?