Week 20 -Am I being a Fox or a Hedgehog?

This week during our training webinar I was really struck by considering if I am being a Fox or a Hedgehog.  As they told us….. “The fox knows many things but the hedgehog know one big thing.

Oh how in the past I have been the fox, having to know every detail, spending lots of time planning but not so much time accomplishing.  This week I have been focusing more on what I call, “Stumbling Forward”  not being so concerned that I have it all figured out, but just keeping it simple, having my goal in mind and expanding my comfort zone and actually turning the challenges from fears to accomplishment. Although it is a change that takes frequent re-correction, it is exciting to see results and confidence building.  It is great to have opportunities to mentor others and encourage them to do the same too!

So may I encourage you to be the hedgehog – focus on your passion and “stumble forward” embracing life as you move forward continually.

 

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Week 19 – Courage

“The ability to do something that frightens one.”

“Strength in the face of pain or grief.”

Both are definitions of Courage

Sometimes it feels like I am walking that tightrope in life!
How about you?!?

I am so thankful for the Lord’s words in Deuteronomy 31:6:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,
for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.”

This verse so often speaks courage into my heart when I am tempted to do the opposite – to worry and fear.  The more I let go of the outcome, focus on my purpose and goals, and commit all that I do as unto the Lord, the more courageous I become.

Have you ever seen the movie, “Courageous”?  If not, I highly recommend it. Having lost our oldest son just 3 months ago, I have an even greater appreciation of the courage and commitment Adam Mitchell demonstrates.  As his whole family struggles through tragedy and grief, he rises above his circumstances and not only becomes a victor himself, he courageously leads others to do the same.  And not just in the movie – but in the hearts of his viewers as well.

May our demonstration of courage also affect many around us as we “Trust in the Lord, with all your heart and lean not on our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” Psalms 3:5-6

Week 18 – Making that choice – and sticking to it!

Should I…. should I not…… which would be better….

Ever find yourself going back and forth, back and forth in trying to make a decision?

This has been a lifelong challenge for me.  I was taught to weigh the pros and cons carefully – a good idea to a point, yet when taken to far has often held me back from moving forward in any direction.  How about you?

I have always admired people who seem to be able to make definite decisions and then not look back and question them.  Well now it is my turn!

The dictionary meaning of decisive is:   1. able to make decisions quickly and confidently, or showing this quality: 2. strongly affecting how a situation will progress or end.

I find the second part of this definition interesting. Once I confidently make that decision I am “Strongly affecting how a situation will progress or end.”  Isn’t that what this whole MKE experience has been about – affecting how our lives progress!

I won’t say it is easy, but making a conscious decision to make a decision and not labor over it has been building my confidence to do it more. Looking forward to how I can and do affect how my situation and life progresses by proactively choosing to…

Week 17 – Enthusiasm…. Zeal

As each week I am thinking about a character trait that I want to grow in my life and my word for this week was enthusiasm, I thought I should start by looking up the definition. Enthusiasm = “Intense and eager enjoyment, interest or approval. A thing that arouses feeling of intense and eager enjoyment.”

Since the scriptures are really important to me, I decided to look  up verses with enthusiasm in them to see what God says about it. I only found 2  verses and especially liked this one in 2 Corinthians 9:2.  “… You in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.”  I like how the result of their enthusiasm was stirring others to action – certainly a goal of mine!

My Bible dictionary said to look at verses on Zeal for enthusiasm. I got really excited when I looked up the definition of zeal!

Zeal= “Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.” !!!  Wow, that is exactly what we are doing throughout the entire MKE experience 😉

Well that sent me on a search for verses concerning zeal and there are so many to be found!  I especially like this one – Romans 12:11.  “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

So this week I have been having fun observing and demonstrating enthusiasm and zeal. There’s alot around us, especially in young children. It’s a real shame that zeal and enthusiasm tend to get squashed out of us as we start growing up.  I am determined to bring more back into my life and take time to recognize it and celebrate it in others.  Hope you will join me!

Have an Enthusiastic Day 😉

16 – Kindness Revolution

How cool to see the amazing multiplication effect of people joining together in one mind for a cause.  As all of us in the Master Key Mastermind Alliance  put our focus on Kindness, the impact was stunning!

Our “job” was to observe kindness, and demonstrate kindness everywhere we went this past week.  Then be sure to write about it in our online alliance.  It is so true that what we focus on, we see! I remember years ago when we bought a new van that was a new color that year,  I started seeing the same van with the same color popping up all around me – especially in the parking lots  that I was trying to find my van in!

As I looked for acts of kindness, I found they were happening all the time. In small ways and larger ways. So many things that I would have taken for granted before and not really noticed.  It can be so easy to focus on negative things going on around us, yet when we shift our focus, its cool to see all the good that is happening every day.

An especially fun part of the week was our assignment to complete 2 random acts of kindness daily in secret, not letting others know. This developed a much deeper level of having to think things through to plan to not get caught!

This reminded me of a practice we did with the children years back. Each year we talked about the real St. Nicholas and how he loved to do kind things for people secretly. During our Advent devotions, we would draw names of someone in the family, and that week we were to do at least one act of kindness in secret for that person that week, more if desired. This made giving gifts of service or kindness come alive as we prepared for Christmas.  This week reminded me that this can continue today and last all year long.

Well, what happens when everyone pulls together in one common goal?  Want an objective measure – How about over 4500 comments about kindness’s this week alone in our Kindness Alliance!  And think about all the Smiles that happened with lives that were touched with so many different types of acts of kindness!  If we all keep this up it can truly be a revolution!

Hope you will join us!

 

15- Insight

I don’t know about you, but I am a doer!  When there is a problem to solve, I want to jump in and solve it – by doing.  Sometimes I am successful, yet often I am not.

Well… this week another approach – seek insight!  As our Master Key Experience 15 tell us to concentrate on Insight during our Sit … ” Call to mind the fact that knowledge unused passes from the mind, that the value of the information is in the application of the principle; continue this line of thought until you gain sufficient insight to formulation a definite program for applying this principle to  your own particular problem.”

So rather than do, I sought insight and it was really cool to experience my subconscious mind start flowing.  I grabbed my paper and pen and started writing, and what inspiration was flowing!  I thank the Lord for the insight given and I know as I continue this approach, I will see more and more the world of the without reflecting the world within.

So may I encourage you (and me too) to take the time and Sit and seek insight, ready to receive and then be grateful 😉

14 – Cool Running and Persistence

 

I sure enjoyed watching the movie “Cool Runnings” tonight. What amazing inspiration it brings of never giving up on your dreams, no matter what the opposition is!

Derice is such an phenomenal example of a focused, determined spirit with a definite major purpose, an extremely positive mental attitude with a definite plan of action. It was great to see how this infected his whole team to get started, work hard, and follow through no matter what!

After spending his life preparing to be a sprinter in the Olympics and losing that opportunity by being tripped by someone else in the qualifying races, he did not let that stop him. By keeping a positive attitude, and searching for other avenues, he found a way – bobsledding – in Jamaica!

No amount of no’s from his potential coach, no amount of ridicule from his countrymen, no lack of financial support would deter him and his master mind alliance/team.  Once at the Olympics, no amount of ridicule or obstacles would stop him or his teammates and coach.  I see Derice’s PMA (positive mental attitude) and persistence being the driving force to keep everyone going.

It was interesting to see the different personalities, that under normal circumstances would never have worked together well, allow they definite major purpose to override their differences. It was great to see different ones “pull each other up” when they needed it.

After all their hard work and progress to be leading in the last race, it was heartbreaking to see their sled malfunction and their sled turn over and scrape them along the track. What an awesome victory to see them get up and carry their sled across the finish line!
It was interesting that once one person “broke the ice” and started clapping, it allowed others to start cheering them on and congratulate them across the finish line.

How cool that they came back hero’s in their own country, and returned 4 years later as equals with the other Olympians. I am so proud of each of their tenacity because of their “can do” attitude. What an excellent reminder of how the power of having a definite purpose with a positive mental attitude and a plan of action with a master mind group can accomplish what seems to be the impossible.

I am thankful that I am headed this same direction – are you doing the same !?!