Hold On or Let Go?

"Courage is the power to let go of the familiar." - Raymond Lindquist, Author, Pastor

Holding on to people, things, and ideas that are negative and/or keep us feeling down, inferior or wrong, holds up forward progress and growth.

Letting go of people, things and ideas that are negative and/or keep us feeling down, inferior or wrong, opens up our hearts and our minds for progress and growth.

Hold on and be held back...not by others, but by you.

Let go and let yourself live...by you, and for you!!

A Positive Put-Down

Don't let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries. - Astrid Alauda, writer

When we think of water, and glasses filled to the mid-point, it may conjure recollections similar to the following: -The optimist sees the glass half-full -The pessimist sees the glass half-empty -The realist says "Let's get the proper sized glass" and -The opportunist drinks the water!

In hearing (or reading) that, we may question in which category we fall...the optimist, the pessimist, the realist or the opportunist...

While that may be a thought-provoking way to think of it, there is another mindset around that water glass, too! Imagine if you thought about how heavy that glass was. It's not heavy really, is it? You take drinks from a glass fairly regularly, I bet. You take the drink, you put down the glass...no big weight issue there, right? Still, if you held the glass for an hour straight, the glass might start to feel awkward and uncomfortable in your hand, and to your arm. Now, if you held it overnight, you may need some serious pain relief, and if it were held for a few days or a week...imagine the "weight" of that little glass of water...you may need medical attention for that pain or damage!

Now, think of the glass as stress, anger, disappointment, or anything else that at first can seem manageable. How long have you been holding it, and how heavy is it getting? When are you going to put it down? We are going to "pick up" stressful things, get angry, be disappointed, and even overburdened at times. It's what we do when we realize it that determines the "weight" of it on each of us. When will we handle it, or in effect, put the "glass" down? Remember, the issue or opportunity is not as heavy as we often allow it to be. The burden of carrying something need not be without relief, so when you have anxiety, distraction, stress and other things you are carrying for hours, days, weeks or longer, decide for you that you are going to be the one who is, instead of carrying it, will make it a "positive put-down" by addressing it, releasing it, or simply letting go!

Let Others Shine

“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” ~ Proverb

As the successful person you are, you have likely been working for some time (and maybe that has even been a long while) to establish yourself and/or your practice or company. Congratulations on all you have accomplished! With the competitive spirit you have, and the drive you surely maintain, often it is not ego, rather habit that keeps you doing things yourself within your company or group.

Imagine yourself a few years (or more) ago when you were hungry for an opportunity…looking for a break. Did someone give you that shot? Did you feel good about getting the chance to shine?

This day, this week, this month, there is a time when you can either do what you typically do or let someone else have that opportunity to succeed, to do something new, to be the one “out-front”. Will you seize that moment as a leader, and relinquish the “do-er” part of you to allow someone else to get his or her break?

Go ahead, let them shine…after all, it will cost you little, and will be an investment in the leadership of both of you!