It is summer time and my kids love to swim. They are not with me, right now. They are at a friends house swimming. They have tons of energy. When I was their age, I loved swimming. I could not get enough. Right now, I wish I was swimming with them. They need to get all of their energy expended. During the summer they want to be active. I have to work. Explaining to them that someone has to work, instead of swimming, is not easy. I have to be careful. I don’t want them to get that all work is bad.

Swimming can be done at another time. I only get a short time with my kids. Swimming in paperwork is no fun. Drowning in work is not the way I wish to spend the rest of my days. However, they may have to work for themselves or another person some day. I want them to see it as a positive. They can decide what kind of lifestyle they want to have. Do they want to be drowning in paperwork or swimming with their families? I hope they will make choices that allow them to swim with their families.

Today the cat got out. I thought it was going to be a bad day. I chose note to let it ruin my day. I hoped the cat would be home when I got home. She was home. It is a beautiful thing when you try not to let a rough start ruin your day. Feeling hurt or angry in the morning can cause hurt and angry feelings through out the day. I take the time to meditate and listen to positive information.

I choose to have serenity despite anything else that might have happened. I choose to look for the positive. I am grateful that the cat came back. I am grateful that we have a home. I took the time this morning to meditate and to think about what I wanted to accomplish. I began to write about the things that I was grateful for.

I choose serenity for my kids and family. I want to be an example of serenity. I choose not to let anything that occurs bother me. I choose to work out whatever I need to do early in the day. I can spend my time in serenity and peace or I can spend it mired in pain and chaos.

Do you have someone in your life, to challenge you? You may have lots of people who you don’t agree with. Embrace the disagreement. It could alter your perspective. Do they have a valid point? Is there a kernel of truth? What else could you do to meet the other person’s point? Is there something that cannot be altered? Is it worth it to argue with the person?

Arguments never end well. Sometimes we have to be the one who changes.  We are the ones who can compromise. It is just best to do that to save the relationships. This is especially true with family. Giving up on arguing is a smart strategy. Adversity makes us stronger. Embrace the challenge. Don’t see it as something that is going to ruin you. Think of it as something that can make you stronger. Shift your mindset. Make you a fighter. Make you a better version of yourself. Make you grow. Make you a better parent.  Make you a better friend. Make you a better leader. Make you a better worker. Make you a better teacher.  Make you the person you were meant to be.

There is something that is happening. I don’t know what it is. I know the clouds are closing in. The air is cooler.  It is darker out.  A force is coming through. I have a feeling it is going to be strong. I have not prepared for this storm. I am not afraid. I have survived many storms.

How often do we worry about things that may not happen? How often are we afraid of what might happen? How often do the things we fear not come to fruition? Our minds are very powerful. We can use this to our advantage. If we try to think of positive things, then positive things could happen. The negative storms can be kept at bay. We can use the past experiences to support the good that will come about or we can dwell on the negative.

If something bad does happen, I can wait for the storm to pass. I have weathered some storms. There may be more storms to come. I have the knowledge that I have weathered some bad storms in the past and survived to tell the tale. I can ride out the storm. I am stronger than I think I am.

I recently went back to a house that I used to live in. It was not pretty. I did not recognize it. Seeing the old neighborhood was quite a shock. Emotions were high. Memories came flooding back. When I thought about how far I came, I felt empowered. I drove up a hill I used to ride my bike on. If you think you will always be in the same place, or are stuck, just remember that your circumstances can change. You do not have to stay stuck. No matter how bad your current situations is, you can move on from that. Thing will change. You have to take steps towards your goal.

When things are bad right now, you can revisit your past, and realize that you are further along than you used to be. Making moves in a positive direction one step at a time is what you need to do. You have to have a plan and a clear goal. Achieve one step at a time. You can revisit the past, you just don’t have to stay there. Learn from mistakes and move one. No one can take the lessons away from you.

There are times when I cannot think of what to do next. I am down. I am really down. I need to get back up. I want motivation. It has to come from deep within. It is always nice when someone you know has a kind word for you. When someone else can inspire or lift you up. You know you need to move forward and you don’t think you can walk another step. You told your mentor you would go the extra mile. You want to stop. The pain hurts. You know you have to keep going to achieve your goals.

As parents we are the encouragers to our kids. When kids think they can’t take on a task. We have to let them know they can complete a task. We don’t want them to give up. You hold them to the goal. You want them to succeed. You do it for them not too them. They will be better off if they do what they say they are going to do. They will reap the rewards if you give them that kind of encouragement. You believe in them and want them to achieve their goal, that you move them along the path to achieve it.

When you charge ahead without thinking, you suffer the consequences. Not having a plan in place can cause you to fail. When you act without thinking about why you are going to do what you are doing, you will fail. I am all for, going with gusto towards a goal. There are times when one should evaluate why they are trying to reach a goal. In the long term will it matter? What if I don’t do this task? What will happen if I don’t succeed? What is the worst that can happen? What if I do succeed? What then?

Be careful not to get bogged down in the details. That too, can cause you to fail. Children are epic chargers. They like to play. They charge ahead without much deliberation. Why can’t adults do that? When was the last time you played? Just because you want to play, does not mean you can’t plan. Doing the things that we enjoy in life can be a nice way to recharge and then charge again. When was the last time you got recharged and then charged? What is stopping you from charging? Do you have a plan? What are you waiting for? It is child’s play after all.

My kids are not spending time with me right now. They seem to have other interests. I have other interests as well. Letting them explore things to do on their own is healthy. When you need time as a parent to get away from your kids, you should absolutely do that. You can pursue your own interests. The kids realize they are going to be fine without parental supervision for a while. They need us, but can cope with short bursts away from Mom and Dad. Working together or independently is a bonding opportunity.

When you pursue something outside of being a Mother or Father, that shows the kids that you have an identity other than that of being a parent. You are setting a great example of what a healthy individual is. A well rounded person has many interests while still maintaining responsibilities. When you pursue other possibilities as a parent, you are showing your kids that they can find other possibilities and that there are a wide variety of options in life. You don’t have to be one dimensional. You grab on to other possibilities and so can they. You can grab on to their tiny hands and help them reach new heights.

My daughter is using her reading skills to figure out what to watch on TV. She is getting upset because she can’t get help. There is a frustration bubbling up. Sometimes there is frustration with trying something new.

When people come together for a common goal, the need for learning can grow. Hard work and discipline is needed. True learning is transformational. Asking lots of questions can help you learn. Letting others figure out what they need to do in any given particular situation is key. Once someone fails at a task, if they find the lesson, then they will be transformed. If you try and need help, it is best to ask someone who has done what you have done. Using lots of mentors to help you can be rewarding.

Teaching something to someone can be a great way to reinforce what you have learned. I am teaching my daughter patience right now. She wants me to help her and I must finish the task I am doing. Sometimes the lesson is caught. Other times it has to be reinforced. Other times someone is truly transformed, and realizes that they will be able to work it out for themselves.

Waiting in line for donuts, was totally worth it. It was hot out. My kids were starting to grumble. I did not give in to their moaning. I simply said, that we would get something cold to drink after we got our donuts. Donuts are an occasional treat. I did not let them falter. I tried to keep their mind off the fact that it was uncomfortable. Later on we would be at the pool or go to the sprinkler park.

The thought that our pain would be over soon, was comforting. Yes, it was uncomfortable for a while. When we go those donuts, they were happy. We rested for a bit and then went on with our day. My kids learned a lesson in waiting for something. Having patience for something they want, is truly a virtue. Delayed gratification is a necessary skill to learn to have success in life. Nothing happens instantaneously for us. At least nothing worth while. Don’t rush something that is a good thing. When you get everything you want all the time, you become spoiled and feel a sense of entitlement. Why would I want my kids to grow up with this notion? If they can’t wait for something as simple as donuts, they will be in trouble.