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talktodiana

~ Igniting the power and passion in others…

talktodiana

Tag Archives: tenacity

Stony Places

11 Sunday Sep 2016

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

200 words, aging, courage, darkness, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Fear, hope, human spirit, Life's like that, light, strength, tenacity

A plant seemly overcoming all odds and reaching for the sunlight through a cement barrier. In the same way, when a community is engaged and working toward a common goal, anything is possible.

I have seen flowers come in stony places.

John Masefield

Often when we feel as though we are between a rock and a hard place, it is hard for us to imagine that anything good can come from the situation we are in. The weight of what we are going through feels like it will crush us.

I guess one of the benefits of getting older is that we begin to learn that ‘this too, shall pass.’

We remember that we’ve come through desperate circumstances before and although life feels rough and we are looking for a way out of the current darkness, the light will break through eventually.

The human spirit is amazing in its resiliency. It is so much stronger than we give it credit for. It is tenacious in its hunger for life. And just like the plant that found a way in my parking spot by pushing through the cement and reaching for the sunlight in the above photo, we can also find our way.

So the next time you find yourself in a stony place, remember the flowers, and know that you will find your way to the light too.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

 

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My Word For 2016

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, In My Opinion, My Stories

≈ 65 Comments

Tags

Diana Schwenk, Fear, happy, Happy New Year, Hump Day Chronicles, life, Life's like that, living in the moment, love, service, tenacity, Word, words are powerful

19200-love-love

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. But this is the third year in a row that I have chosen a word for the new year.

For 2014, I chose tenacity.

Believe you, me – I needed it! That was the year I gave all I had to the Other Bottom Line. I developed a marketing package. I created a brochure. I wrote posts meant to be used as a resource by non-profits and invited conversation regarding engaging the community. I actively sought out clients. Did tons of research. Worked with a few clients and documented the entire process for them. I sought advice and did everything I could think of to make it work. I really put myself out there, even when it was scary to do so.

Although it didn’t quite work out the way I planned, it was not wasted time – I got to work with some pretty amazing people and I learned so much about myself and working with others; things that have benefitted me since.

For 2015, I chose service.

It dawned on me at the end of 2014, that I’d become angry about so many things; governments, world issues, red tape and bureaucracy, the ways that people, including me, were treating others and so on. While sharing these thoughts with a friend, she wisely said to me, “You can’t do anything about how others handle situations. And you definitely can’t complain about it if you’re not personally doing anything about it. Figure out what you can do and just do it.”

That advice led me to choose the word Service. And it’s a tough one for me. I’d much rather give someone money to rent a moving truck than physically help them to move, for example. I got service wrong a lot and I’d beat myself up every time. Eventually, I got it right by setting specific goals and playing out potential scenarios in my mind, in case they came to be. I definitely need to keep working on Service.

In a world where many pursue (selfish) happiness and fall short, I discovered that for me, at least, happiness comes in service to others, especially when I get to employ my natural gifts and abilities.

For 2016, I choose love, or rather the word love chose itself for me. 

This year, I’ve become aware of, and sometimes participated in, fear-mongering. There seems to be a general move toward assuming the worst of people that aren’t like ‘us’ and it’s dividing us instead of building us up in the global community.

So I will use the word love like a measuring stick to make decisions. I will ask myself, “What is my motivation in pursuing a certain course of action? Am I motivated by love or fear?”

If it is love, I will move forward, if not, more examination may be necessary,  perhaps an attitude adjustment is in order before proceeding, or maybe it is not worth pursuing at all.

Something tells me I will be needing my old friends Tenacity and Service as well!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Do you make New Year’s resolutions or choose a word? If so, what have are your resolutions or what word have you chosen for 2016?

The Impossible, Massive, Heavy, Looming Task

16 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 50 Comments

Tags

200 words, believe, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dream, encourage, life, living in the moment, mission, passion, Purpose, tenacity, vision, work hard

“Little by little, one travels far.” – J. R. R. Tolkien

imagesCXFEXQRPHave you ever had an impossible, massive, heavy task looming in front of you?

A dream so close to your heart that the thought of not achieving it, was unbearable?

I have.

If you’re like me, it can paralyze you if you don’t deconstruct it into manageable pieces.

How to tackle an impossible, massive, heavy, looming task

  1. Picture the final outcome. How does it feel? What are people saying about it?
  2. What are the top 3 objectives/barriers you need to achieve/overcome?
  3. List tasks under each objective/barrier to take you where you need to go.
  4. Run it under the noses of people you trust, particularly those who think differently than you.
  5. Tweak and modify your tasks.
  6. Take them on, one step at a time and start with the hardest ones.

The smallest steps today, combined together, help you chip away at your task. Before you know it, momentum takes on a life of its own and you are well on your way.

Doing something is always better than doing nothing.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Do you have a massive, heavy, looming task?

What small step can you make today?

Easy to Start, Hard to Stop

28 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion, My Stories

≈ 42 Comments

Tags

200 words, celebrate, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, entrepreneur, Fundraising, generosity, hard work, learning, listen, mission, Purpose, sacrifice, share knowledge, tenacity, The Other Bottom Line, vision

IMG_20140901_124915

To succeed, you need to be easy to start and hard to stop. ~ unattributed

It’s been one year since I started The Other Bottom Line. And in that time, I’ve:

  • provided one organization with their fund development history and 3-5 year strategy.
  • worked with another organization as a bum-in-a-seat employee.
  • facilitated the process to find a sponsor for, and drafted a gift agreement for another.
  • helped another consulting company conduct searches for two non-profits.

The in-between times haven’t always been easy. I’ve had my hopes dashed a few times. I’ve spent some time playing the ‘Hurry Up and Wait’ game. I’ve been disheartened.

When I have wanted to give up, I kept going by:

  • Documenting processes and accomplishments; referring to them often.
  • Doing the things I vehemently didn’t want to do; moving them to the top of the list.
  • Sacrificing the fluffy things. You’d be amazed how much you don’t really need.
  • Being generous. Sharing knowledge and expertise.
  • Celebrating the wins. Learning from the losses, then moving past them.
  • Being open. Asking questions. Listening to others who have been there. 

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

How do you ensure that you’re easy to start and hard to stop?

Talk to Diana


"I RELATE WITH, PROMOTE AND SPEAK COMMUNITY WHEREVER I AM..."

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